More Soup Please: Corn Bacon Chowder with Shrimp

Winters in the Midwest beg for comfort and warmth, and this chowder from Cooking Light's '350 Calories Magazine' satifies that and then some! Their 'Loaded Baked Potato Soup' knocks it out of the ballpark as well in case you haven't tried it!

Obviously, the downside to this recipe (despite Jon's love of soups and chowders), is that the shrimp makes this an indulgent for a college student's budget; thus, skip it unless you shop at Costco or find it on sale at Whole Foods every so often at $9.99 / lb. (usually $12.99 / lb). Or, replace it with some rotisserie chicken ($5-8 / chicken) and make another dish with the remaining chicken! 

This chowder is so simple to make on a cold winter's weekend! Easily makes 4-5 generous servings at approx $5/bowl--possibly less if shrimp and bacon are on sale! 

Had to post this for Jon's recipe collection and love of soups and chowders. On occasion...it is ok to splurge. Might as well be for something this tasty!

More soup, please!

Corn-Bacon Chowder With Shrimp

Equipment:

Large pot or Dutch Oven

Blender--magic-bullet or hand-held blender

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp (21-26 count), peeled & deveined

1 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup celery, chopped

4 slices of bacon, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried otherwise)

4 cups corn (2 15 oz cans 'in water'), drained, keeping 1 cup separate. 

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/3 cup half and half

Salt & Pepper

Instructions: 

1. Wash your hands.

2. Prep your onions, celery, garlic, thyme and bacon.

3. Sear the bacon in a large pot. 

4. Once bacon crispy, remove half of it.

5. Add onions, celery, thyme, and garlic to remaining bacon. Cook x 2-4 minutes.

6. Add corn. Cook x 2 minutes. 

7. Add broth and bring to a boil x 4 minutes. 

8. Remove 2 cups (allow to cool somewhat), and puree in small amounts if using a Nutri-Bullet or Magic-Bulletin a blender (steam needs to go somewhere). Then, return to the pot (or use handheld blender on the off-chance you own one). 

Tip: This method enrichens and thickens the soup without having to add excessive cream.

9. Add separate 1 cup corn kernels and shrimp. Cook x 2 minutes until shrimp done.

10. Add cream. Season with salt & pepper.

Ladle this into your bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and reserved bacon bits! 

Avgolemono Soup

Happy New Year Everyone!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the holidays and time off from my usual obligations! But, it is time to get back to work and putting up new recipes and ideas as you prepare to head back for the semester and off-campus living!

After all the excitement, and Hallmark movie marathons, have passed, we settle back into our usual routines...and to some degree we need to, right? Life goes on, class assignments are due, term papers need to be written, bills to be paid, and New Year's resolutions to tackle (and survive the cold winter days until Spring).

To counter 'the routine' of the upcoming months, I will be sifting thru the many cookbooks I received this Christmas, having friends over to try new flavors, and looking for recipes most compatible with college living, cooking skills and budgets!

Check out this awesome recipe of the classic Greek Chicken & Lemon Soup, or Avgolemono, that will warm your soul as you head into January 2015! Jon (my son) and I always ordered this at the Greek Restaurant in our neighborhood; and, when it recently closed...well, had to find another option!!

(Adapted from This Is A Cookbook by the Sussman brothers)

Avgolemono

Equipment:
5 quart stock pot

Lemon juicer

Ingredients:

10 cups Chicken broth

2 1/2 cups long grain white rice

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed

4 egg yolks

Juice of 3 lemons

Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 

2. Bring broth to a boil and add rice. Reduce heat to a simmer.

3. Simmer rice until rice tender, approx 20 min.

4. Remove 2 cups of broth to cool slightly. Set aside.

5. Add the chicken meat to broth and rice. Stir to combine.

6. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, and very, very, very slowly, begin adding warm (not piping hot) broth to egg yolks.

TIP: If you do not take this slow, you will have scrambled, curdled eggs.

7. You should have a beautiful light yellow liquid in front of you!

8. Add the egg-mixture to the soup.

9. Squeeze lemon juice, approx 1/2 cup, and add to soup. I suggest doing this slowly to balance the lemon to your taste!

10. Season to taste with salt and pepper! 

Tell me you can't find your comfort zone with this soup and a good book or movie!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I'm loving this fall weather! Say no more!

But you can begin to feel a touch of chill every now and then brushing your cheeks and reminding you that the days will be getting shorter.  As I have started to lay-out the recipes that our son continues to ask for, I am fully aware that this is the time to bring in a few more soups (one of his favorite foods). You just can't go wrong here: little skill required, large amounts, cheap on the budget, and satisfying to the soul--all the things a college student needs when living off-campus.

This version of Chicken Tortilla Soup I found in a doctor's office magazine from WebMD! Perhaps this is not as complex as the original recipe, but with a few modifications, it is a lighter version and delicious nonetheless! Plus, if you are having friends over, this is a great substitute for the heavy-bean-laden American 'chile con carne' that might increase the risk of death by fumigation. 

Avoid spontaneous combustion and try this option instead!

(Adapted from WebMD magazine-Sept 2014 edition)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Equipment:

Large dutch oven or 5 quart sauce pan

Can Opener

Wooden spoon / ladle

PAM spray

Toaster oven

Ingredients:

1 Tbls olive oil

1 medicum onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green pepper, diced (I skipped this because green pepper over-powers everything)

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breasts

2 tsp of chili powder

1-2 tsp of cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

28 oz Crushed Tomatoes (I used San Marzano)

4 oz Green Chiles, diced

32 oz of chicken stock (I made mine from chicken bouillon to avoid cost of pre-made)

2 cups hot water

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

Extras:

Corn tortillas

Avocado
Jalapeños

Sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Sour cream

Hot sauce

Cilantro

Lime wedges.

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands and surfaces frequently with raw chicken. Prep the garlic and onion.

2. Heat olive oil in your large sauce pan and add onions and garlic until softened.

3. Add your chicken breasts and spices to coat all the ingredients.

4. Add the tomatoes, chiles, stock, and water.

5. Simmer x 20 minutes.

6. Remove and cool the chicken breasts.

7. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken meat with 2 forks and return to soup with the black beans.

8. Simmer x 20 minutes.

9. Cut your tortillas into thin strips and spray with PAM. Toast until crisp.

10. Fill your bowls with cheese, tortilla strips and cover with soup.

11. Garnish with avocado, lime, more cheese, tortilla strips, sour cream and cilantro.
12. You just got yourself a meal!