Corn and Shrimp Chowder with Bacon

6 ears corn, husks and silks removed
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips
8 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 tsp. seafood seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 lb. large peeled and deveined shrimp
coarse salt and ground pepper
crackers, for serving (optional)

Cut of tip of each cob. Stand corn in a wide shallow bowl; using a sharp knife, slice downward to release kernels. Scrape length of each cob with a spoon to release pulp. Discard cobs.

In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium-high until crisp and browned, 4-5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels.

Add scallion whites and potatoes to pan; cook, stirring, until scallions have softened, 1 to 3 minutes. Add flour and cook stirring, 1 minute. Add milk, seafood seasoning, thyme, and 2 cups water.

Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn, shrimp, and scallion greens. Cook until shrimp are just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Season chowder with salt and pepper. Serve topped with bacon. Serve crackers alongside, if desired.

Serves 4

489 calories per serving

Notes:

I didn't have fresh corn, so I used 4 cups frozen. I didn't have any seafood seasoning and I don't think it mattered. This is delicious, but I would like it to be a bit thicker. Next time I'll add a little mixture of cornstarch and water -- or reduce the amount of water added.

Original recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (In Season - July 2009 issue)

Cheeseburger Soup

Photo courtesy of Kristen Doyle

1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup chopped white onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
2 cans low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1/4 cup flour
2 cups (8oz) Velveeta, cubed
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 6-quart saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside beef.

In the same saucepan, sautee onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 2 Tbsp. butter until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes).

Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt remaining 3 Tbsp. of butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until bubbly. Whisk into soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add Velveeta, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts.

Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.

Makes 8 servings

Notes:

I discovered this amazing soup on Dine & Dish. I should be upset with Kristen for introducing me to this heart attack-in-a-bowl recipe, but decided it isn't any worse for me than half the recipes on my blog! I'll just have to try to limit the frequency of making this delicious soup to no more than once a month. Yummmm-O!!!

Navy Bean and Ham Soup

1 lb. dried navy beans
6 cups water
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups diced potatoes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. minced onion
2 tsp. salt (optional)
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 cup diced smoked ham
2 bouillon cubes (chicken-flavored)
1 Tbsp. chopped chives

The night before, place the dried beans in a large pot. Cover with water and soak overnight.

The following morning, drain the water and place the beans in a 4-quart crock pot. (Or, simply use 3-4 cans of navy beans.)

Add 6 cups of water and the remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Stir well and cover.

Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours (or high setting for 5-7 hours).

Yield: 6-8 servings

Notes:

I've always made this with canned beans. I like to throw in a ham bone and usually use the meat from a honey-baked spiral ham.

Warning: Do not feed the leftovers to your dog! ;)

Rocky Mountain Potato Chowder

1/4 lb. (4-6 slices) bacon, cut into small pieces
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (include green tops)
2-14 1/2 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth (3 1/2 cups)
3-4 potatoes (1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and cubed
1 cup sliced carrot
1 red bell pepper or 1/2 lb. tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked turkey or chicken
2 cups low-fat milk
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large heavy pot over medium heat, brown bacon. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Pour off remaining bacon fat and add green onions (reserve 1/2 cup dark tops) to the pot; stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add broth and potatoes; cover and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are not quite tender.

Add carrots, cooking 5 minutes more.

Add bell pepper, zucchini, corn and thyme; cook until vegetables are tender.

Add turkey/chicken and reserved onion tops.

Mix milk with cornstarch and add to soup.

Bring to boil, stirring constantly (about 1 minute), until soup begins to thicken slightly.

Season with salt and pepper. Top with bacon pieces right before serving.

Makes 2 1/2 quarts; 6 servings

Notes:

The original recipe calls for quartered potatoes. I like a smaller bite-size piece, so I adjusted the cooking time a bit so they wouldn't get mushy. Also, I like my bacon crispy, so instead of keeping it in the pot with all the vegetables and broth, I add the cooked pieces to the individual soup bowls before serving. I generally need to thin the chowder with a bit of water or broth when serving leftovers, as most of the liquid disappears with the initial servings. As with most soups, you can add or delete any of the vegetables to suit your personal tastes.

Val's Potato Casserole

6-8 medium-sized russet potatoes (whole, unpeeled)
1/4 cup margarine, melted
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup (condensed)
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup dried dill

Boil potatoes until tender, approximately 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then peel. Cut into quarter-inch slices (or dice into large chunks).

Mix sour cream, soup, margarine, green onions and spices in a large mixing bowl.

Place 1/3 of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of a lightly greased deep casserole dish. Top with 1/3 portion of sauce and 1/3 portion of grated cheese. Repeat two more times.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese is bubbly (approximately 45-60 minutes).

I first tasted this potato dish at a family gathering almost 20 years ago. It was love at first bite! My family is forever grateful to Val (my sister-in-law) for introducing us to such a delicious side dish. It goes wonderfully with ham, steak, ribs, and chicken. Or, simply by itself!

Portuguese Potato Kale Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup diced leek, white and light green part
3/4 cup diced onion
1/4 diced celery
5 cups chicken broth
4 russet potatoes, peeled, cut into sixths
1 smoked ham hock
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
2 oz.Linguica sausage, diced (about 1/2 link)
1/2 bay leaf
Salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
Add the leak, onion and celery.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 4-6 minutes.
Add the broth, potatoes and ham hock.
Bring to a simmer and cook until the meat and vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Use a paring knife to cut away the tough stems from the kale and discard them.
Blanch the kale in the boiling water until it wilts, about 3 minutes.
Drain kale, run it under cold water to stop cooking process and drain again.
Slice kale into thin strands.

Remove the ham hock from the soup base and set aside.
Puree the soup base (I love to use this handy little gadget from Braun),













return it to the pot (this isn't necessary if you've used the above gadget) and bring to a simmer.
When the ham hock is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and cut into small dice.
Add the diced ham, kale, sausage and bay leaf to the soup base.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer 15-20 minutes longer.
Serve in heated bowls.

Note: I couldn't find any kale, so I left it out. I couldn't find the Linguica sausage, so I used Sweet Italian Sausage instead. I used 4 links, cut into bite-size pieces, browned separately in a small saute pan and drained on paper towels.

Delicious!

Servings: 4

Recipe from One Dish Meals by The Culinary Institute of America