Saturday, November 22, 2014

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Chowder

What's your favorite kitchen appliance? Mine is the Slow Cooker.  I just read an article about a new slow cooker that can be turned on and off via your smart phone.  This may go on my Christmas list.

After a busy day at work, especially those occurring on Monday's, nothing is better than coming home and dinner is ready.  Corn Chowder is one of my favorite soups.   When I saw this recipe, I was thrilled to find a recipe designed for the slow cooker!

The original recipe calls for heavy cream.  I learned a trick (I think from Pioneer Woman?) to add cornmeal as a thickening agent, no heavy cream needed.  Equally as rich with much less calories and fat.




Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Chowder
Adapted from Mama Loves Food!


 Ingredients:
  • 8 ounces (1/2 pound) bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • 2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes (approximately 5 medium sized potatoes), NOT peeled, diced in 1/4 inch cubes
  • 8 cups (about 2 pounds) kernel corn
  • 1 medium/large sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 6 - 8 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 32 ounces (4 cups) chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • salt & pepper
  1. Combine all ingredients except cornmeal in the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours.
  3. Blend about half the soup using an immersion blender or just scoop it into your upright blender then return to slow cooker).
  4. Mix 1/2 cup cornmeal with a cup of the broth from the soup, stir into soup and cook on high for 15 - 20 minutes.  This acts as a thickening agent, no cream needed.
  5. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

A Special Veteran

On this Veterans Day as, we pause to remember and thank our Veterans. I'd like to pay tribute to my late Father who served in Pearl Harbor!




Sunday, November 9, 2014

Lime Mad Madelines - SRC


It's my favorite Monday of the month, Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  If you're not familiar with Secret Recipe Club, you can read all about it here!  It's so much fun.  I am proud to be a member.  For the month of November, I was assigned Jane's Adventures in Dinner.  Jane's blog is one of those, you could spend hours looking through.  She has so many wonderful recipes and beautiful photography. Jane lives in Canada, in addition to having a fabulous blog, she loves to cook and drink wine! 

Do you have any baking pans that you rarely use?  When browsing to decide my post for this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was reminded that I do, my madeline pan.  Actually the problem is, I need a larger kitchen (are you reading Tim?), a few of my specialty baking items are stored in a big tote in the garage.  I often forget to use them. Sounds logical doesn't it?  Reminded of my pan in the garage by Jane's recipe for Lime Madelines, I decided to give that pan some use!

If you're looking for a just slightly sweet yet delicious cookie, give these a try.  Perfect to serve with afternoon tea or a dish of ice cream.  This recipe goes together quickly and results in a beautiful treat.