There are just some foods that make winning combinations. Apples and cinnamon. Chocolate and peanut butter. Tomatoes and basil. Prosciutto and provolone.

So when I was flipping through the channels a few weeks ago and noticed a rerun of America’s Test Kitchen was featuring a flank steak filled with prosciutto and provolone rolled, sliced, skewered, and then grilled, I knew I had to watch.

The idea is so yummy sounding and I have made something quite similar in the past. You might have noticed a version of this in the butcher block. They do look and sound delicious, but in reality, the meat is difficult to cook evenly and the filling is usually dry and overcooked, if it didn’t all drip out into a gooey mess all over your oven or grill.

I really like how the people at America’s Test Kitchen tackle these big cooking dilemmas, they attempt the recipe hundreds of times so we don’t have to. Saves the rest of us a lot of money, time, and headaches.

So they had a couple great ideas. The first is to butterfly the flank steak, I actually used a flat iron because I like the flavor better and I happened to have one in my freezer. Okay, so this sounds scarier than it really is. I can assure you I have sharp knives, but not the best knife skills. And I was still able to pull this dish off. I would guess that nearly every butcher would butterfly this for you though when you make the meat purchase. I made a couple mistakes in mine (holes), but I just proceeded with the recipe and no one was the wiser.

I used a meat tenderized to pound the meat even, you then slather it with an herb/shallot blend and top with prosciutto and provolone. You roll it, tie and here is the great part or the recipe, you skewer it and then cut the into individual portions; think meat lollipops. This really helps the filling stay intact during cooking.

These looked good, smelled great and tasted even better. My husband took one bites and said “holy cannoli these are good.” My three year old was the only one that was not in agreement, I think the taste is a bit grown up for a preschooler.

Although these aren’t difficult, there are quite a few steps so I am including more photos than usual so you can see what is going on.

I think this would be a great choice for entertaining, not only is flank steak or flat iron steak inexpensive, but this feeds quite a few people. The meat could easily be prepared before hand and refrigerated until ready to skewer/slice. I would save that step because the skewers need soaked before grilling to prevent burning. It is fabulous to start with an inexpensive cut of beef and end up with something worthy of company.

I only had a one pound steak in the freezer, so I adjusted the meat and cheese accordingly and we still got 8 slices of meat. And both provolone and prosciutto can be purchased by the slice in the meat/deli section of nearly every grocery store, so you can simply buy a few slices for the recipe.

Also, prosciutto is thinly sliced, dry-cured pork. Of course read the label, but I have never seen any ingredients resembling gluten, just pork and salt.

A flat iron steak

After I attempted to butterfly it.

Slathered in the herb/shallot/garlic paste.

Add some proscuitto and provolone.

Rolled, tied and skewered through the twine.

Sliced and ready for the grill.

Ready to eat. As you can see most of the filling stayed intact.

Grilled Stuffed Steak

I actually used a much smaller cut of meat and just reduced the cheese and meat amounts accordingly.

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 TB fresh minced parsley leaves
• 1 tsp fresh minced sage leaves
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 flank steak or flat iron steak 2-2 1/2 lbs (it is easiest to butterfly if it’s slightly frozen)
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
• 4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese
• 8-12 skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 8-12 pieces of butchers twine
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl, combine garlic, shallot, parsley, sage and olive oil.
2. Lay steak on a cutting board, with grain running parallel to the edge of the counter, butterfly the steak and pound to an even thickness.
3. Spread herb mixture evenly over surface of steak, leaving a 1-2 inch border along top edge. Cover with prosciutto and cheese, leaving the same size border along top edge.
4. Starting from the bottom edge, roll the meat away from you, placing the seam side down on the cutting board.
5. Starting on the outside edges, tie 8-12 pieces of butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals around steak. Work from outermost ends first, so the filling doesn’t get pushed out the ends.
6. Skewer the beef through the string, and using a sharp knife cut into 1-inch thick pinwheels. Season with salt and pepper.,
7. Cook on preheated med-high grill for about 6 minutes per side of until desired doneness. I actually had difficulty using a meat thermometer on these, due to the filling, so I just sliced into one of them to check for doneness (not real scientific, but it worked).
8. Remove from grill and allow to rest five minutes before discarding skewers and twine. Serve.

BBQ, Main Dishes grilled flank steak, rolled flank steak

I am becoming a huge fan of the flank steak. Seriously, they cook up in virtually no time and when cut thinly against the grain they are very tender and juicy.

I typically do a lime juice and cumin type marinade for beef fajitas but I am a little bored with that version, so I adapted an allrecipes marinated flank steak recipe. It had great flavor and although we loved it with some onions and bell peppers, served fajita style, I think it would be equally good on a salad or with some rice and vegetables.

Since it is a marinade you do have to plan ahead. But the flank steak cooks so fast, you’ll have dinner on the table in no time. And it’s perfect this time of year when you don’t want to heat the oven. Enjoy!

Marinated Flank Steak in a fajita.

Marinated Flank Steak

Although I used lemon juice, I think lime juice would be a great alternative.

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (SanJ makes a gf one)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon (about 2 TB)
• 1 1/2 TB Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrin’s is gf)
• 1 TB Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• dash cumin, optional
• 1- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak

1. In a glass 9×13 pan mix all ingredients except steak. Place meat in the pan and turn to coat. Cover and allow to marinate at room temperature for about an hour or refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
3. Remove steak from pan and discard marinade (or bring marinade to a boil and serve with meat if desired).
4. Grill steak for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness. Allow steak to rest five minutes before slicing against the grain.

BBQ, Main Dishes, quick and easy gluten free beef fajita, marinated beef for fajitas

Steak au Poivre is a French dish that consists of a steak, typically filet mignon, coated in coarsely crushed peppercorns. Add some cream and Cognac for a quick pan sauce and you have the making of a delicious meal.

Although I love to just a grill a steak in the backyard, Steak au Poivre is probably my husband’s favorite meal, so it’s my go-to special occasion dish. Our anniversary, Father’s Day, his birthday, you name it, he requests this.

Although the heat of the peppercorns is greatly reduced in this cooking method, it definitely does taste like pepper, so probably not the best choice for children or those with an aversion to black pepper. And I have found that different brands of peppercorns do vary in their intensity and flavor.

I love that this dish has so much flavor with so few ingredients and so little effort. Pepper and steak are a winning combination and the cream/brandy reduction really adds the finishing touch. Let’s face it, the French know how to cook and this dish is like so many French dishes I have made; simple, elegant and delicious.

So, next time you need an impressive, yet relatively simple steak dish, give Steak au Poivre a try. It goes great with almost any potato dish, especially twice baked potatoes.

I have adapted an Alton Brown recipe and find that it works really well and isn’t too complicated. Although the original recipe calls for Cognac, I have never wanted to spend the money, so I just buy a good brandy. I have also used boneless ribeye in place of the filet mignon. I think any good quality steak around 1 -1 /2 inch thickness could be used though.

Steak coated in coarsley crushed peppercorns.

Steak au Poivre, ready to cut into to.

Steak au Poivre

• 4 tenderloin steaks, 6-8 oz each (no more than 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 2 TB whole peppercorns
• salt to taste
• 1  TB butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 Cognac or Brandy
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before beginning dish.
2. Preheat oven to 375
3. Coarsely crush peppercorns (if you have a mortal and pestle this would be perfect, I don’t. I place the peppercorns in a plastic bag and hit them with my meat tenderizer or rolling pin).
4. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt. Spread crushed peppercorns on plate and press the steaks onto the plate. Coat both sides with the crushed peppercorns.
5. In a heavy skillet, I use cast iron, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. As soon as the oil and butter being to brown place steak in pan.
6. For medium-rare steaks, cook steaks about 4 minutes per side; if you prefer your steaks medium or medium-well I find it best to brown steaks on both sides in the pan and then place in preheated oven to finish cooking. It takes about 5-7 minutes for medium and 7-10 for medium-well in my experience.
7. When steaks are finished cooking, remove to plate and tent with foil.
8. Pour off any excess fat but don’t wipe pan clean.
9. Off the heat, add the Cognac to the pan and ignite the alcohol with a long match or lighter; do this carefully as the flame can get rather large. (If this is too intimidating you can burn off the alcohol by heating pan, this will just take longer than lighting it).
10. Return the pan to medium heat and add cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until a sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon is created.
11. Add steaks back to pan and coat in sauce. Serve.

Main Dishes

I love pot roast. I guess it reminds me of Sunday dinners as a kid. My mom ALWAYS made pot roast. We would always complain she overcooked it. But seriously, I really love a tender, falling apart pot roast, it’s pure comfort food.

I am not a fan of casseroles. Not really sure why. Pot roasts are sort of my answer to the one dish meal dilemma. Sure, life gets busy and I need something I can just throw in the slow cooker or oven, but I want it to taste really good.

Honestly, I prefer cooking roasts in the oven. However, there are those days when a slow cooker is really a life saver.

Unfortunately for me, if you have looked at many slow cooker pot roast recipes you’ll realize that almost all of them contain cream of mushroom soup (not a fan) or onion soup mix (also not a fan and really confused on the gluten issue here).

So, I was really happy to see a slow-cooker country style roast in my America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. I adapted this recipe to suit my needs, I didn’t’ really want to cook a 6 pound roast as they suggest and, well, I can’t follow a recipe. So this is my interpretation of their version.

I was really happy with the results and no canned soups or soup mixes in sight. I know slow cookers vary, but it really does take a LONG time to cook, so be prepared to start this early in the day if you want to eat this for dinner.

Although I think chuck roasts are really excellent slow cooked, you can use a different roast if you like. I often use a different cut if there is a sale..sshhhh don’t tell America’s Test Kitchen, they insist only a chuck roast will do

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with red potatoes.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Although you could place this directly in the slow cooker without browning it, I think it really improves the texture of the meat.

• 1 (3 pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 pound baby carrots (or peeled, chopped carrots)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 large red potatoes, halved
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add roast and season with salt and pepper. Brown roast on all sides, be sure to let roast brown well before trying to turn or roast will tear. Reduce heat if oil begins to smoke. Brown on all sides, this process will take 8-10 minutes total. Add roast to slow cooker.
2. Add onions, carrot, and garlic to pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes (add 1 tsp to oil if necessary to prevent vegetables from sticking). Add wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until wine has reduced by half, about 1 minute, then pour into slow cooker.
3. Add tomatoes, broth, thyme, bay leaf and potatoes to slow cooker. Cover and cook until meat is tender and, 9-10 hours on low or 6-7 hours on high.
4. Transfer the roast and potatoes to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaf and using an immersion blender (or let cool slightly and transfer to a food processor), blend liquid in slow cooker until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Slice roast, serve with potatoes and sauce.

Crock Pot, Main Dishes Slow cooker pot roast

I really like simple, yet flavorful dishes. And this Balsamic Pork Roast adapted from allrecipes is just that.

With only four ingredients it is so quick and easy to put together, yet produces a very tender and flavorful roast.

This recipe does have a lot of balsamic vinegar, but don’t let that scare you off. It does have a strong smell, especially while cooking, but there is no sharp vinegar flavor in the finished product.

I wouldn’t buy the cheapest balsamic vinegar or your dishes will really not turn out to their full potential. Balsamic vinegars can be really expensive and personally, I wouldn’t buy a $50 bottle to use for marinades.  I just look for a step up from the cheapest stuff; not sure if that is a good suggestion or not, but it’s good enough for me. A lot of people like Costco’s Kirkland Balsamic Vinegar and I believe it’s less than $10. And although I haven’t tried it yet, I am guessing you could substitute a nice red wine vinegar in this recipe with no problems.

Cooking pork can be somewhat tricky, as you really want to make sure it reaches the correct temperature, but overcooking will result in a dry, tough piece of meat. A lot of recipes suggest you cook it to 140-145 degrees, but the USDA still recommends pork reaches an internal temperature of 160.  I always use an instant read thermometer when cooking pork just to make sure. Here is the USDA fact sheet about pork; if you scroll to the bottom of the page it has estimated cooking times for specific cuts of pork.

Sliced Balsamic Pork Roast

Balsamic Pork Roast

I try and buy McCormick brand herbs and spices because I know they have a good labeling policy. They make several different steak rubs. And although this dish is great as written, you could add some garlic and rosemary to the marinade.

• 2 Tb steak rub seasoning
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 pounds boneless pork loin roast

1. Pour seasoning, oil, and vinegar into a large resealable bag and mix. Add roast and squeeze air out of bag and seal.
2. Marinade 2 hours (I just do 2 hours) or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Place roast with marinade in a glass dish and bake for approximately one hour, basting occasionally until roast reaches internal temperature of 160 (this is the USDA guideline for pork).
5. Let the roast set 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Main Dishes balsamic roasted pork loin

It’s five o’clock and someone asks me, “What’s for dinner?” I have no idea. Sound familiar?

Chaotic, rushed, and often unplanned….oh, the weeknight dinner.

Even though I do enjoy cooking, I am a horrible planner when it comes to dinner. I have tried to create menu plans, but seriously, I can never follow them.

Just like everyone else, I need relatively quick and easy dinners.

I have always tried to keep certain cuts of meat in the freezer for impromptu meals. My new favorite is flank steak. It is quick to defrost and cooks in literally minutes.

My family enjoys the combination of a tossed green salad, some quickly marinated flank steak, and homemade ginger-lime dressing. You  have a simple and healthy weeknight dinner with very little effort or time.

Your family might even think you planned it

This is my adaptation of the Thai Beef Salad from the latest Everyday Food issue. I thought the herbs in the original recipe were a bit overpowering, well, my kids thought the herbs in the original version were WAY too overpowering, so I simply omit them now.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of Everyday Food you might want to take a look. These little magazines are crammed full of practical recipes for things your family will actually want to eat. And most of the recipes call for items found in a well-stocked pantry or fridge.

Just as the title suggests, the theme is really Everyday Food, nothing overly fancy or gourmet here. So if your family is getting tired of eating the same meals over and over you might want to grab the current issue at the checkout stand. Overall, I find that I can adapt most of it to be gluten free with little effort.

Thai Beef Salad

Thai Beef Salad

Although I find this dressing super easy to prepare, you could just use a bottled Asian-style one if you prefer.

Steak:

• 2 Tb soy sauce (San-J makes a gluten free one)
• 2 Tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 12 oz flank steak
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil

1. Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar in a glass 9×13 baking dish. Add steak, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate several hours.
2. While the steak is marinating I prepare the salad and dressing.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet, I use cast-iron, over medium high heat. Add steak, reserving marinade, and cook until dark brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side for medium-rare; make sure to wait until the meat has had time to brown well before trying to flip it or it will tear.
4. Add reserved marinade to skillet and turn steak once to coat. The marinade will get very thick and much of it will evaporate.
5. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
6. Add steak and dressing to prepared salad and serve immediately.

Salad:

• 1 head lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
• 1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and deiced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 carrots, peeled and shaved with a vegetable peeler

1. In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients.

Ginger-Lime Dressing:

• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tb peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 a jalapeno, minced, optional
• 2 Tb fresh lime juice

1. In a small bowl stir together all dressing ingredients.

Main Dishes, Salads, Sauces & Dressings flank steak, thai beef salad

Looking for some new vegetable ideas? Have you tried broccolini?

Fresh Broccolini

Often called baby broccoli, broccolini  is actually a hybrid between broccoli and the Chinese vegetable gai lan. It has a sweet and mild flavor, reminiscent of asparagus and broccoli.

The entire plant is edible and can be steamed, grilled, sauteed or eaten raw. It can be substituted in recipes for broccoli and because of it’s mild flavor will probably be a bigger hit with children.

Here is a quick pasta dish that my family enjoys. The broccolini is complimented by the bacon and garlic; and even my husband who I have never seen eat broccoli ate this dish without complaints. Of course when introducing a new vegetable, cooking it with something irresistible (like cream, bacon, or cheese) never hurt

Pasta with Garlic and Broccolini-a perfect spring dinner.

Pasta with Garlic & Broccolini

This is a delicious and easy dinner. I like to prepare the bacon earlier in the day, so the whole dish comes together quickly in the evening. And make sure to read those bacon labels, some contain gluten.

I really wanted a fancier shaped pasta, but I couldn’t find gluten free bow ties or even penne at my local grocery store. It still tasted great.

• 8 ounces dry gluten free  pasta, cooked and drained
• 4-6 slices bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled, with 1-2 tablespoons drippings reserved
• 1 bunch broccolini (about 3/4 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup diced tomatoes, I use cherry tomatoes
• Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Place reserved bacon grease in large skillet and heat over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until browned, about 3 minutes; stirring frequently.
2. Add broccolini and continue to cook until tender, but still bright green, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add cooked pasta, bacon, and tomatoes and mix well, cooking until heated thoroughly; this doesn’t take long. Season with salt and pepper if desired and top with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Main Dishes, Salads broccolini pasta, garlic broccolini

Black beans cooked in onions, garlic, and cilantro. So fast and simple, yet bursting with flavor. Somehow an ordinary can of beans turns into something special.

And cooked white rice sprinkled with some fresh cilantro and splashed with the juice of a lime offers a hint of flavor without overpowering the rice.

And then the Fresh Pico de Gallo. It’s the perfect condiment, fresh, spicy and so easy to make.

You add it all together and you have the filling for Black Bean and Rice Tacos. It’s a perfect gluten free dinner: fresh, easy, inexpensive, and best of all full of flavor.

If you have never made your own corn tacos, you should really give it a try. I think they taste completely different than the stale, bland corn tortillas available at the supermarket. Although you’ll need to but a tortilla press, they are incredibly quick and inexpensive to make. I have a step by step post; however, I don’t recommend you buy a plastic one like I have pictured, it broke. I would really suggest you buy a metal or cast iron tortilla press.

Although it may seem like a lot of work, all the components to this dish are very simple. I start the rice, make the pico de gallo, then move onto the beans. As everything is just finishing I can make corn tortillas, which come together literally in minutes.

Cilantro-Lime Rice + Black Beans+ Pico de Gallo + Corn Tortillas = Delicious

Cilantro-Lime Rice I start my rice in the rice cooker; allowing me to quickly assemble the rest of the meal while the rice is cooking.

• About 2 cups hot cooked rice
• 2 Tb lime juice
• 2 Tb cilantro, chopped

1. Stir the lime juice and cilantro into the hot rice. Use as a taco filling or side dish to Mexican food.

Homemade Pico de Gallo is bursting with color and flavor

Pico de Gallo

You might need to adjust the amount of jalapeno you use, depending on your family’s tastes.

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped red onions
• 1/2 jalapeno, diced finely
• 2 Tb chopped cilantro
• juice of one lime
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• salt to taste, optional

1. In medium bowl combine all ingredients and stir to combine; tasting and adding salt as desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Black Beans

These make a great filling for tacos, but they could also be a side dish.

• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans
• 1/2 cup chopped onion, red or yellow onions will work
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of half a lime
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• salt, optional

1. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook over medium-low heat until hot and flavors are combined; about 10 minutes. Make sure not to overcook though, as beans will get mushy.

Main Dishes, Sides black bean tacos, cilantro lime black beans, cilantro lime rice, homemade pico de gallo

There is something about meatballs kids just love. Perhaps its the fact they roll around on their plates while they try to stab them or that they are usually served with spaghetti, which is nearly every child’s favorite dinner.

Whatever the reason, being able to create a delicious gluten free meatball is a necessity for any meat eating family. I made a few modification to my favorite meat ball recipe and we can once again enjoy meatballs. My kids were so delighted.

You do need gluten free bread crumbs. I typically pull out a roll or two when I make a batch, or the heals of the bread when I make loaf, just to throw in my food processor for crumbs. I place them in a resealable plastic bag and toss them in the freezer until needed. I find this is the easiest way to assure I always have breadcrumbs on hand.

Although fresh bread crumbs typically need toasted in the oven for a few minutes, I find that gluten free bread produces pretty dry breadcrumbs, so this step isn’t usually required.

I always cook meatballs in the oven now. You don’t need to stir them or risk breaking them apart. There is nothing worse than telling your family you are having meatballs for dinner, and end up serving crumbled browned beef. It will still taste okay, but it isn’t pretty, trust me I know from experience.

We like the outside of our meatballs cooked really well, very browned and slightly crunchy. So I always cook mine on convection for the full suggested cooking time. If you prefer a softer meatball that is less browned,  you will want to watch the cooking time closely and probably avoid using convection all together.

Meatballs aren't very photogenic.

Gluten Free Meatballs

• 1/2 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
• 1 pound ground beef (I use 10% or leaner)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp seasoning salt (I use McCormick)
• pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400 or convection 375.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and with a wooden spoon stir until combined.
3. Roll into balls; I make mine 1-2 tablespoons sized, yielding 20 meatballs.
4. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake 10–15 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

Cooking With Kids, Main Dishes, Snacks gluten free meatball recipe

My family has been sick this last week and have been requesting soup. I already made chicken and noodle soup so I was looking for some other ideas.

I had some leftover brown rice in my fridge, so I created a chicken & rice soup that was very good. I think this would be a great way to use up any leftovers from a chicken and rice dinner, or you could “cheat” and use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

It’s a nice change from the typical chicken and noodle soup, and with the price of gluten free pasta, even soup can become an expensive meal. You can probably make this entire dish for about the same price as one package of those gluten free rice noodles. A delicious and inexpensive way to use up leftovers, you gotta love that.

A cup of hot chicken & rice soup...mmmmm

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup

This is a great dish to make if you have leftover chicken and rice in your fridge. The recipe makes a large pot of soup, but leftovers reheat very well.

• 4 ribs celery
• 4 carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tb butter or oil
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp chicken or vegetable bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon brand)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced
• 3 cups milk
• 2 Tb cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop celery, onion, carrot and garlic (I use my food processor to do this when I am in a hurry).  In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter and add chopped vegetables;  saute chopped vegetables until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Add water, bouillon, rice and chicken and continue to cook.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the milk to make a slurry. Add cornstarch slurry, milk and poultry seasoning to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook to blend flavors, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if desired before serving.

Main Dishes, soups chicken and brown rice soup, chicken and rice soup, gluten free chicken soup