The Creamiest, Dreamiest: Corn Chowder

My inspiration for this soup was: left-over broth from my corned beef brisket. I headed to the kitchen with every intention of making potato rival soup.

But when someone that loves to cook and experiment enters a kitchen....(excuse my French) all hell breaks loose.

I started adding things to the pot, finding more things in the frig, the canned goods cupboard, and freezer, and WA-LA!!....I ended with creamy corn chowder.

And CREAMY is true.

I started with peeling and dicing 4 large potatoes, and diced a few carrots. I grabbed an onion, my last clove of garlic, and found some Monterey Jack cheese and evaporated milk.

I browned the onion, garlic, and the diced smoked sausage I found in my freezer with 1 stick of butter. I then added a mounded 1/4 c. of flour, stirred everything together to form a thick paste. Then I added two bags of steam fresh corn, the evaporated milk, cayenne pepper, parsley flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.

While I am making my pasty mixture, my potatoes and carrots are boiling in the 4 cups of corned beef broth. I boiled them until they were solid/tender and then added them by ladle-fulls into the pasty mixture, stirring as I went. When I got close to the end of the potatoes and carrots I just grabbed the pot and poured.

I then added 1 c. of Monterey Pepper-Jack cheese (that looks like a cup, right?) and a little more milk to add to the creaminess (about 1 - 2 cups).

Every experiment has to be taste tested, right? Well, my first taste test was such a pleasing experience, I had to grab every clean soup spoon I own because I just knew that one taste test would not be enough. It looks like I am going to have to taste test it about twenty more times. But that's okay, I have to make sure that it is perfectly tasty for my family (right?).

One thing that I am struggling with is: The amount of food I make. When a person goes from cooking for 5, down to 2 1/2, it is quite a dramatic change.

When Sean got home and seen the huge pot of soup, his first reaction was; "Why do you make so much?"

For real, I own an imaginary restaurant and I have to make sure that my customers have enough to eat.

No, I'm not that crazy (only sometimes).

We ate this for a couple days and then the rest went in the freezer. We will have creamy corn chowder at our fingertips when the mood strikes. See, simple solution to the over-cooking.

Creamy Corn Chowder

1/2 c. butter

1/2 large onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pkg smoked sausage, diced

1 mounded 1/4 c. flour

2 bags steam fresh corn

1 (12 oz.) evaporated milk

4 c. corned beef broth, or broth of your choice

4 large potatoes, diced

1 1/2 c. diced carrots

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 1/2 TBS dried parsley

1 cup shredded Monterey Pepper-Jack cheese

1 - 2 c. milk

Melt butter slowly. Add onion, garlic, and sausage and saute 3 - 5 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, parsley, and corn, and mix thoroughly. Add evaporated milk and potatoes, carrots, and broth. Cook until thick. Add the 1 - 2 c. more milk and grated cheese. Let simmer on low for at least an hour.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8