Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Comfort food and Day 13: Surviving Holiday Parties

It has been raining all day.  Not just a little rain here and there but steady, at times down right torrential downpours.  The only thing I could think of that would warm our bellies today - Potato Soup.  I don't have an exact recipe I follow when I make potato soup so I'll just post what I happened to come up with this evening.

Ingredients:
5 potatoes - diced
5 slices of bacon - cut into small pieces
1/2 medium onion - diced
1 box Imagine chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
salt to taste
  1. In a dutch oven cook the bacon pieces until crunchy - remove and save for garnish.
  2. Add onion to the bacon grease and cook until translucent.
  3. Add potatoes and cook with onions for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add box of chicken stock and cook until potatoes are tender.
  5. Once potatoes are tender add spices and heavy cream.  Simmer for 15 minutes and then serve.
We had Chebe focaccia bread to go along with our soup.  If you haven't tried Chebe mixes yet, you should.  They are delicious.

I have seen a lot of posts lately about what to do at holiday parties, and lots of questions about what you would serve at a party you are hosting.  I have a few suggestions for these situations.

Parties hosted by others:
  1. Make sure the person hosting the event is aware of your allergies.  They may or may not be willing to make changes to their menu to accommodate you, but at least they'll know there is a legitimate reason you are not eating any of the food they have prepared.
  2. Offer to help with food preparation.  Everyone appreciates help when organizing functions, you may just save your hosts sanity.
  3. Offer to bring a dish - at least you know there will be something there for you to eat.
  4. Eat before you go.  You never know when someone may get the crazy idea to dip a Ritz cracker in the dip you so lovingly prepared.  Try not to get too offended by the action - no one is trying to gluten you.
When entertaining in your home:
  1. Serve gluten free food.  Take this opportunity to broaden your friends perception of what gluten free food is and what it tastes like.
  2. If you keep a 100% gluten free home, specifically ask guests not to bring food.  The most well meaning friends in the world who wanted to bring Chex mix but forgot to check the Worcestershire label for gluten would feel really awful if they made you sick.
  3. Don't make a big deal out of the fact the food you're serving is gluten free.  All that matters is that your guests are fed delicious food and have a good time.
I have posted about fun appetizer options and will be posting more ideas for holiday meals in days to come.

Now I'm going to go curl up with a cup of friendship tea and read The Hunger Games.  People have been raving about these books and now its time to figure out what all of the hype is about.

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