Football Sore Throat Soup

This past weekend I traveled to Oxford, MS to see my alma mater take on our arch nemesis, LSU. Those of you that know me know I get a little into football games. I think that the players can hear me if I yell loud enough. Well the Rebels played AMAZING and we won an incredible game. What was left after the game? A football sore throat. Mixing loud cheering and cold temperatures over the weekend calls for a creamy hot soup! I know what you are thinking, creamy? How can creamy be healthy? 

I have come up with a substitute for cream soups. A lot of recipes call for cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup. Instead of grabbing a can from the grocery full of who knows what, I create my own. So using my "cream soup base," I have come up with a creamy loaded baked potato soup that is gluten free and dairy free. Don't you love when you accomplish something. Now if I were to just hand my husband potato soup, he wouldn't be satisfied. Yes he would be grateful, but I know he would love something to dip in that soup. So what else but a grown up grilled "cheese." Okay I can't deny it, I made him a regular version with mozzarella, white cheddar, and goat cheese because why should he suffer just because I can't have cheese. But for myself, I made a grilled cheese thats dairy free on gluten free bread that I thoroughly enjoyed! 

Okay enough of my rant, here is the recipe for my soup!

Creamy Dairy Free Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Gluten Free

Ingredients: 

3 russet baking potatoes

1 batch cream of soup substitute (recipe below)

1 1/2 cup gluten free chicken broth 

salt and pepper to taste 

1/2 cup dairy free sour cream 

6 T green onions 

4 slices gluten free bacon 

almond cheddar (optional) 

almond milk (optional to thin out soup at the end)

First we have to get your potatoes cooked. Wash the potatoes and poke with fork several times.

Two options here. Bake in the oven at 350° for about an hour. Turning over half way through.

You can also cook in microwave for 10 minutes, turning half way through.

helpful hint: While your potatoes, whip up your cream soup substitute. See below.

Once cooked, slice the potatoes so the next step is easier.

Add your sliced potatoes, chicken broth, and cream of soup substitute (recipe below) into a large pot.

Stir to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add your potato mixture into your food processor, or blender. You may have to do this smaller batches depending on the size of your food processor. 

Blend until smooth.

Add in 1/2 of the green onions and sour cream.

Blend until smooth again.

Add back into your large pot. Add in your salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

While your soup is simmering. Cut up your bacon.

Cook in skillet until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and place on paper towel to drain grease.

Serve your soup topped with green onions, bacon, and the optional cheddar cheese. I decided to leave the cheese off because I was serving with a grilled cheese :)

Cream of Soup Substitute:

You can use this as a base recipe. If you need cream of mushroom add in mushrooms. Cream of celery, simply add in chopped celery. You get get the picture. 

Ingredients:

1 cup cold dairy free milk

2 T cornstarch

1 t gluten free chicken bouillon

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper 

Add all ingredients into small saucepan.

Whisk until thickens.

Hope you enjoy your potato soup!!

Thanks Y'all!

-Wise Wife