Light Potato Corn Chowder
First, congratulations to Donna Sylvester for winning the giveaway contest in my last post! Thanks to all of you who visit here, the numbers just seem to grow even if I can’t share as many recipes as I wish I could lately, so I am really grateful.
I have not been able to blog here as much thanks to final book edits (you can pre-order it here!) a First Communion, Mother’s Day, and a certain someone turning 4…(he asked for a dirt cake with trucks, and I was happy to oblige because, um, dirt cake is delicious.)
Not to mention the obvious barrier to productivity…being pregnant with twins. (Here I am at 16 weeks.)
It was another whirlwind weekend but something tells me it won’t be slowing down any time soon. I shudder to have the year-from-now-Katie look back on last-weekend-Katie and say, ‘girl, you don’t know what busy is’ because babies are always easier on the inside. But at least I have stumbled on my favorite Mother’s Day gift that is easy and delicious:
All the festivities as of late had me dreaming of summer, and we had a bbq with corn on the cob and potato salad. (I made this one in case you are curious). My guess is you and yours *might* have a similar weekend sometime soon and you could have some of these lovelies left over…
If so, this recipe is for you. And even if you don’t have left over, pick some up just to make this delicious chowder. It is so simple, and it feels like comfort food in a bowl. I like my soups on the healthier side, so I am calling this ‘Light Corn Chowder’ but lets be real…bacon and shredded cheddar cheese hardly make anything light. But since those are entirely up to you as toppings and not the base of the soup, light it is.
My mom is a really amazing cook, and one of her tricks is to add cream cheese to cream soups, since it adds a little tang, a ‘what is that flavor?’ intrigue that makes you want to take another bite. I like that I always have some in the fridge, unlike half and half or cream, and it helps make the soup thick and creamy, so you can use light milk. If you want you can use whole milk, cream, or cheddar cheese instead, which also gives this soup a nice tang to it.
In these in between spring days, this soup warms you up on a chilly rainy day, but is still light enough to eat on a warmer day.
Happy Eating! xoxo Katie
Light Potato Corn Chowder (printer version here):
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
2 T flour
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups of corn (frozen or fresh, if fresh equals about 4 ears)
3 large or 4 medium potatoes
6 cups chicken stock
4 oz light cream cheese (neufchatel)
1 ½ cups milk (I use 1% but you can use whole for creamier soup)
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Toppings: Crumbled Bacon, Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used light), scallions, chives
Directions:
Melt butter in large heavy bottomed pot. Add onions, and stir, soften for 3-5 min. Add minced garlic clove and cook for 1 more minute. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Add corn, potatoes, and stock, and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, and add cream cheese and whisk until melted. Then add milk and whisk until blended. Season with salt and pepper, adding more to taste.
Top with favorite toppings and serve.
