Wednesdays Unplugged – Potato Corn Chowder

“One of these years it’s going to be really boring, and won’t that be nice.” – Gabriel Andreas

The weekend was one of record breaking temps… Saturday and Sunday we we hit 90 degrees, the hottest October 10th since 1928 and the latest date to hit 90 degrees on record. Minnesota is not boring for many reasons. I love the PAR puzzle that our DIL shared to make on our break last month… it illustrates the natural diversity of our state. PAR puzzles are definitely not boring. They have been creating one-of-a-kind, hand-cut artisanal wooden jigsaw puzzles since 1932 that are uniquely challenging. Unlike any other, their puzzles come in imageless boxes so that the resulting image of a reconstructed PAR puzzle will be a surprise. 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

After the hot, summer-like weekend cooler weather moved in and I felt like soup. This chowder recipe from Ashley Fehr at thereciperebel.com was a hit… I had to scape the bottom of the pot to get enough to take a photo!

POTATO CORN CHOWDER

• 2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups fresh, canned or frozen corn
• 3/4 cup whole milk or cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Cheese as desired, for serving topping
• Green onions as desire, for serving topping

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until browned, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the onion and celery, cooking and stirring until the onion starts to brown. Add the garlic, salt, thyme, and pepper and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the broth and us a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits.

Add the potatoes and corn. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, combine the mil or cream and cornstarch and gradually stir into the simmering soup mixture, a little at a time, until slightly thickened.

Taste and serve with shredded cheese, green onions, and more bacon if desired.