Matza/Masa Ball Soup Gluten Free Recipe

I LOVE matza ball soup but when I tried to make it with gluten free crackers they were a bit dense. The flavor wasn't bad but the texture was all off. As a vegetarian I have not had the pleasure of enjoying a bowl of matza ball soup at Canter's but my own version back in my wheat eating days was certainly delightful.

I made these dumplings with a slightly Mexican themed broth however I think that you could probably use whatever broth you like and it would definitely effect the overall tone of the dish. You can taste the corn of the masa but primarily they are like a nice light matza ball that soaks up all the heartiness of the broth in which it is served.

Matza/Masa Ball Soup

• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup masa flour

1. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. 

2. In a small size bowl mix the egg yolks with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and melted butter. I was staying simple with this but if you want a more matza ball style dumpling you could add some finely diced parsley too, about a tablespoon. 

3. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl till soft peaks form. 

4. Alternately fold in the egg yolk mix and the masa to the egg whites. You want to mix thoroughly but not lose the fluffiness that separately beating the egg white imparts on the dumplings. 

5. Heat your broth... I used a tomato vegetable based broth and added a little cumin and bay leaf but this works in an onion or mushroom broth, for meat eaters you could use a chicken soup base. 

6. Once the broth is at a low boil, lower heat. Shape dumplings by rolling into 1 inch balls and setting aside on a plate. 

7. Drop dumplings into heated broth and cook for about 10 minutes or until the dumplings rise to the top. 

8. Turn off heat and let sit for approximately 15 minutes. The soup should still be warm but its nice to let the dumplings really soak up some of the flavor from the broth without overcooking them. 

You can serve warm right away or reheat later, it keeps very nicely and the dumpling do not get soggy in the broth. They should be firm but tender and porous enough to really soak up the flavors from your broth. 

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris

Cheddar Potato Cakes

These are the best "what do I do with these leftover mash potatoes?" recipe ever!! I have made several variations on it but I think this is by far the yummiest. 

The cakes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, you can serve them with eggs on the side but I ate them for breakfast with catsup and was more than happy. 

Cheddar Potato Cakes

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup corn oil

1. Mix mashed potatoes with egg, brown rice flour, corn starch, garlic powder till combined.

2. Add shredded cheddar and mix till just combined. 

3. Mix corn flour with salt in a small bowl and set aside. 

4. Heat oil in skillet.

5. Shape dough into patties and roll in corn flour so they are covered. 

6.  Fry patties in oil till golden brown on both sides. The heat needs to be high enough to crisp the patties but low enough to heat them/cook them through. 

7. Serve hot with sauce... I thought they were really good with fresh sliced avocado too. 

Feel free to add more seasoning to vary the flavor to your own preference. They would be excellent with a little paprika or rosemary added. 

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris

Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Crumble

When I was a kid I used to receive these care packages from my grandmother, especially around the holidays. They always contained these raison oatmeal bars. The raisons were so sugary that the the syrup would soak into the oatmeal and I would pull the raisons off and eat just the oatmeal cookie portion of the bars. 

When my grandmother passed a few years ago I went on a mission to find the recipe for the raison bars, it's the kind of thing you never think to ask for and then when you realize it's gone you really miss it. 

I eventually came up with a recipe but still I think it wasn't the same since it didn't come in a box, all squished from shipping with that same loving touch that only a grandma can impart on a box of baked goods. 

This recipe is like a compilation of my childhood as strawberry rhubarb pie was also a favorite of mine. Here I marry together the simplicity of the oat bar with a less cloying filling than the original raisons cooked in sugar. To me this is the perfect gluten free summer treat and can be served warm or cool and eaten plain or a la mode to suit your mood!

Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Crumble

• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup oatmeal flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/8 cup potato flour
• 1/8 cup corn starch
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter (use butter subsitute if you wish to make this dairy free/vegan)
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 2 cups diced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 3 tablespoons corn starch

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

2. Mix together diced rhubarb, strawberries, cane sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pan. Cook on low temperature till thick and bubbly. Turn off heat.

3. Combine all dry ingredients with butter. 

4. Press half of oat mixture into bottom of greased 9x9 pan. Pour cooked fruit mixture on top. 

5. Top with remaining oat mixture. 

6. Bake until top is golden brown and set. 

7. Serve warm or cooled. Particularly delicious a la mode!

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris

How to Make Watermelon Lime Jam!

This is first my first video "how to" please enjoy!