This is so exciting to be posting recipes again to go with the new YouTube videos! I have so many recipes that I want to film, it’s kind of crazy.
But lets start with this easy and delicious smoked gouda cheese sauce recipe. It couldn’t be simpler to make as you do it all in the blender. If you’ve been following my recipes, you know that I love to make sauces even simpler by using an instant thickener for my blender sauces. This makes it so you don’t need to cook them at all, which saves so much time!
So here’s the scoop on the instant thickeners. For years I’ve been using something called Instant Clearjel (the instant not the regular). It’s pretty amazing stuff, and is simply an instant non-GMO cornstarch. Bakeries have used it for over 50 years as an easy and much more effective thickener for pie fillings (as you don’t have to bake the pies as long, potentially burning the crust while you wait for the filling to thicken). It also works to keep your homemade cookies fresher longer, by adding a tablespoon in with your dry ingredients. You can also make amazing freezer jams (like I posted here). But these are just a few of the fun things it does, which is nothing compared to how you can thicken sauces easily in the blender!
I recently discovered a product that is very similar to Instant Clearjel, but better! It’s called E-Z Gel and is made by Cornaby’s (which is a small family-run business in Utah). It actually works better because it incorporates into your sauces better. I like to think of it as a 2.0 version of Instant Clearjel. It’s also packed in a gluten-free facility, which then makes it extra safe if you’re Celiac or sensitive to gluten (like I am).
Anyway, I can talk for hours about this stuff, but will save it for future posts. If you would like to check the E-Z Gel out, here is a link to the product on Amazon. Oh, and if you don’t know about vegan lactic acid powder, you can find it here. Lactic acid powder will give the cheese sauce some cheesy-tang in a really nice and delicious way. It’s a different flavor than adding vinegar. I really like to use this in some of my sauces.
The smoked gouda cheese sauce. It’s perfect on anything, but especially tossed with cooked gluten-free (or regular) macaroni, as the sauce in a casserole, drizzled over steamed veggies, or any place you want a smoky creamy sauce. It should last in your fridge for close to a week.
Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear! You can also tag me on social media @julieskitchenette. Go to my blog here for lots more delicious recipes and to see what I’m up to now.
xo Julie
