Summer Corn Chowder

Another new recipe chock full o'veggies (and yet negated by copious amounts of bacon and cream), this time from the foodie blog,  Food52. Food52 is a pseudo-fancy schmancy blog with oftentimes highbrow recipes and ingredients (blood oranges or swordfish anyone?), but they do have a cool weekly reader challenge where they give one ingredient, readers submit their recipes featuring said ingredient, and a winner is chosen based on reader's votes. This corn chowder recipe was one of those lauded winners.

I'm not going to lie to you - this recipe takes flippin' forever. I made it on a weekday when I got home from work at 6pm, and it wasn't ready until almost 9pm. I was starving and thiiiis close to eating my arm but reconsidered - I didn't think a gnawed limb would look very cute in my new Forever 21 dress. 

So with that in mind, leave this recipe for a boring Sunday. It is pretty delicious but labor-intensive. Lots of chopping and such. It has creamy, sweet tones from the corn and then a little spicy kick from the peppers. I'm a spicy food wimp (revoke my Brown People card ASAP!), and I thought the spice was perfect and not too over the top. Two thumbs up!

My one tip: make sure the potatoes are chopped into small pieces...like smaller than potato salad pieces. One inch square-ish. Otherwise you will be standing around the kitchen waiting for those stupid potato chunks to cook for like an hour, and lack of patience + Rachel the Monster is hungry = HOT MESS.

See! Chock full o'veggies! (And bacon. Cough.)

I wonder how many times I will be forced against my will as a healthy-vegan-gluten-free eater to cook bacon. 


Today is Opposite Day.

Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off some (not all - that will just be our little secret) of the bacon drippings, and throw in the onions to brown.

Then add the celery and peppers.

Now dump in everything else other than the cream, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Then add the milk, cream, and pepper and heat through.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with the fairy dust of foods.

Summer Corn Chowder

6 medium ears of corn

6 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small onion

1 medium poblano, finely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 small celery rib, finely chopped

3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

2 medium boiling potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch of sugar

1 small bay leaf

2 cups light cream, at room temperature

1 cup milk

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Working over a bowl, cut the corn kernels from the cobs at about half their depth. Then, using the back of the knife, scrape the cobs over the bowl to release all the "milk"; set aside.

In a large saucepan, fry the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Crumble and reserve.

Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pan. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper, jalapeño and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, salt, allspice, sugar, bay leaf and the reserved corn kernels and their "milk" and stir well. Cook over moderate heat until mixture begins to sizzle.

Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Stir in the cream and milk and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and season with black pepper to taste. Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon and parsley.

Bacon, Linguini & Tomato Toss

I like bacon. It is magical. Bibbidy bobbidy BACON! I also like Jim Gaffigan - if you haven't watched the clip above, please do so now. It's ok, I'll wait.............. Funny, right? 


I'm trying yet another brand new recipe today from Pampered Chef. I guess I'm partial to them because I had one of the most amazing desserts ever at a Pampered Chef party (I'll make it and post the recipe, promise)!

The ingredients - I didn't have linguine so I subbed in thin spaghetti. So shoot me. I also used the entire package of bacon. You should definitely shoot me for that one. 

Chop up an onion. Try not to cry. If you cry, blame Sarah Palin. I like to blame her for all my troubles.

Chop up the bacon into bite size pieces, then fry it up in a large pot. Once browned, drain bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Pour off most of the bacon grease.

Dump in the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes. 

Once the onion is cooked through and soft, pour in the warmed both and tomatoes, salt, half the bacon, and pasta. Cover and simmer for nine minutes. Take off heat, stir in cream cheese and parsley. Let sit, covered for five minutes. Nice things with happen.

Hello, lover.

Serve topped with remaining bacon, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

Dig in!

Bacon, Linguini and Tomato Toss

12 slices bacon, divided
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz uncooked linguine pasta
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, divided
4 oz cream cheese
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
halved grape tomatoes (optional)
 
Slice bacon crosswise into 1/4-in. strips. Place into 12-in. Skillet; cook over medium-high heat 8-9 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from Skillet; drain on paper towels. Drain Skillet, leaving 1 tbsp dripping in Skillet.
 
Meanwhile, place broth and diced tomatoes in large bowl. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 6-8 minutes or until hot; carefully remove from microwave. On clean Cutting Board, finely chop onion. Return Skillet to heat; add garlic pressed with Garlic Press and pepper flakes, if desired. Cook 10-20 seconds or until fragrant. Add onion; cook 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender. Carefully add broth mixture, pasta, half of the bacon and salt. Simmer covered, 9-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occasionally.
 
Finely chop parsley; reserve 1 tbsp for garnish. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Grate Parmesan cheese. Cut grape tomatoes in half, if using. Remove Skillet from heat. Stir in remaining parsley, cream cheese and grape tomatoes, if desired. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes or until pasta is tender and sauce is thickened. Serve with remaining bacon, Parmesan cheese and reserved parsley.

Yield: 6 servings