Dang it’s been cold this week in Southern California. While I can hear all of you in Canada snickering at me right now, it’s barely busted out of the 50s, you guys! Which means, I need a light jacket and some hearty soup.

Luckily a brand spanking new cookbook , The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food Into Family Life landed on my doorstep and I have a zillion yummy options to choose from, that are naturally gluten-free. Wheeee! My first stop was right on the Ham & Corn Chowder recipe that took me less than half an hour to make, and about 15 seconds to slurp up into my chowder hole. Kelsey Banfield has this cooking thing figured out, and if you’re the lucky winner of my next giveaway — you can see her beautiful, super easy, yet fancy, new cookbook with your own two eyes.

I first discovered Kelsey’s delicious blog when I was an editor at a parenting site and was tasked with pulling together a food blog. Since I immediately bookmarked three recipes on The Naptime Chef, I knew she was onto something that I was loving, and everyone else would as well. And now the Gen X Martha Stewart has a whole book full of delicious, and easy (she makes them during her daughter’s naptime — get it?) recipes that make you feel happy inside.

The weather (I know, I’m a total wuss) was the main reason I chose this naturally gluten-free chowder recipe, but let me just throw some other names of Kelsey’s amazing options in her new book that are gluten-free, or easily tweaked: Baked Cheese Dip, Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew, Creamy Parmesan & Chive Polenta, Mint Chip Meringues, and Dutch Oven Pulled Pork. I’m going on a mad cooking spree this weekend with The Naptime Chef, and you can too!

To get your own copy of The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food Into Family Life, head over to my Facebook page, and tell me what your favorite cold weather gluten-free food happens to be. And how cold it is where you live, so I can feel vastly superior about my own weather. Thank you, and good luck!

Now for the recipe. YUM.

Ham & Corn Chowder

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 carrots, shredded

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (14-ounce) can creamed corn, with liquid

6 ounces cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 cup)

1 cup light cream

1 cup whole milk

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the potatoes, carrots, onion, and salt. Pour in enough water to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue boiling until the potatoes are soft enough to be speared with a fork, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the vegetables through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve the liquid as vegetable stock for another use, or discard.

2. Pour the vegetables back into the same pan and add the butter, creamed corn, chopped ham, light cream, milk, and pepper. Warm the soup over medium-low until it is heated through and serve.

Makes: 4 — 6 servings