First of Many

To start this new blog, I wanted to share a simple meal recipe my sweet, wonderful wife makes for me occasionally on cold (60 degrees!) Southern California evenings.  The whole family actually enjoys this simple "soup that eats like a meal" (I think that slogan already exists... sorry).

Doctored-Up Potato Soup

This dish is pretty quick and easy to make and tastes better than most soups I've ordered in restaurants.  For about $7 total, this recipe makes 1/2 gallon of delicious, thick potato soup.

YOU'LL NEED: 

1 pkg. of Bear Creek Potato Soup Mix (11 oz)

4 (approx) strips of bacon

1 cup (approx) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup (approx) Glutino Gluten Free Pretzel Twists

Sour cream (optional)

1. Start with a package of Bear Creek Potato Soup mix (available at most major grocery store chains).  This product is not certified gluten-free, which means they don't produce it in a kitchen that is guaranteed clean and free of any wheat products.  However, no wheat products are listed on the ingredient list so for people with wheat allergies or a wheat intolerance, it should be fine.  Make the soup according to the directions on the package.  It takes only a few minutes, but we're not done yet!
2. Fry up a few strips of bacon until crisp.  You are going to crumble it up right before serving the soup.
3. Grab a large handful of Glutino Gluten Free Pretzel Twists (again, even some "normal" grocery stores are now carrying this brand - pricey, but really quite good).  Crumble the pretzels up until they are in pretty small pieces or crumbs.  This is going to add some bulk and texture to the otherwise fairly thin Bear Creek Soup.  
4. Fill a soup bowl with the prepared piping hot soup, sprinkle with a large pinch of shredded cheddar cheese, place several tablespoons of crushed pretzels on top of the soup, and add a tablespoon of crumbled bacon.  Add a dollop of sour cream if desired.  Season to taste and serve.  

The rest of my family (gluten eaters, but I love them anyway) likes to enjoy this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.  I'm not going to delve into the challenge of making a decent gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich quite yet.  It's complicated and the results I have achieved to date are only so-so.  This soup is actually quite filling and I don't think it needs anything to go with it (except maybe a nice scoop of ice cream for dessert)!