Monday, December 1, 2008

Cheeseburger Chowder (Gluten Free)



It is definitely the season for soups, chowders,and stews. I made a killer beef stew on Saturday evening. We had company over and we knocked out that stew. Completely gone.


By Monday I was craving stew again, but I didn't have any more stew beef.


I DID have some grass-fed beef from a local grower. Hmmm...


I did a quick search on allrecipes.com and found this recipe. I thought it looked promising. My husband loves cheeseburgers, so I thought the recipe might be a winner. I made several distinct changes to make the recipe gluten-free and a bit healthier.


We used sweet potatoes in place of the regular white potatoes in the original recipe. The sweet potatoes are a delicious savory addition and add vivid color to this chowder, along with a tiny bit of sweetness. The combination of flavors in this recipe is truly fantastic!

I hope you'll give this easy cheesy chowder a try this fall!

Just so you know... we knocked this chowder out too. It's completely gone. And that wonderful, but picky husband of mine? Absolutely loved it, hands down!!





Cheeseburger Chowder

1 pound grass-fed, low-fat beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cups gluten free chicken broth (I use Herb Ox Chicken Bouillon)
4 cups sweet potatoes, skinned and cubed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups organic milk

Toppings:
- Italian parsley
- crumbled turkey bacon
- shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, and ground beef. Cook until beef is browned. Stir in parsley and basil. Add chicken broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. In a glass measuring cup melt remaining butter in the microwave. Add milk to measuring cup with melted butter and whisk in cornstarch. Gradually pour milk mixture into chowder, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese until heated through. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve. Sprinkle bowls of chowder with toppings. Enjoy! Makes 5-6 large servings.

(Printer-friendly version.)