Soups on ... Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

On to day 2 of our featured of soup recipes!  The great thing about crockpots is using a crockpot liner.  I serious LOVE the person who made these! They make it so easy that you can do a quick rinse out and tada you can use it again for the next day!  Oh yeah no more soaking it overnight or longer and not using the crockpot for a few days. 

The next soup we tried out for the family and our friends was a Slow Cooker Corn Chowder I found on Baked by Rachel.  I must say it smelled so good I was tempted to take a little taste but I resisted.  The boys all loved this one and even went back for seconds. 

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon
1 1/2 C onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 16oz can whole corn, drained
1 16oz can creamy style corn
1 tsp thyme
1 C chicken broth
4 C potatoes
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 C half and half
3-4 tbsp corn starch

Directions:

Cook bacon in a skillet or in your stove. Meanwhile, chop onions into smaller than bite size chunks. If using a skillet for your bacon, reuse the same pan and bacon drippings for your onion. If baking your bacon, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet. Cook onions until they are nearly translucent. Transfer onions to a small bowl, set aside. Chop up bacon, reserving 1 slice of bits for topping later.

Mince Garlic (either bought or do it yourself). Scrub potatoes and chop into bite size pieces.

Add all ingredients to slow cooker bowl, except corn starch and half and half. Remember to reserve a portion of your chopped bacon. Gently stir ingredients. Cover and cook for 7 1/2 hours on low.

At the 7 1/2 hour mark, add half and half. Give it a quick stir, replace cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Your chowder will not have a creamy look until you add the half and half. It also will not be thick until the final step.

Just before serving add corn starch. This will help to thicken it up. If you add to much you can counteract that by adding a bit more chicken broth into the mix. Add 1 tbsp of corn starch at a time and mix well. It will thicken fairly quick. Continue to add corn starch 1 tbsp at a time until you are satisfied with the consistency. 

Serve warm, topped with bacon.

Alexis Notes: I used turkey bacon and cut it up and crisped it up on the stove top.  Cole found a great new job of peeling potatoes (may not have been perfect but it worked).  And I held back the gagging with the cream of corn ... I'm sorry that is one that will always get me.

Happy Tuesday, Hope you have a wonderful day!

What's on your Meal Plan today?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Some Hot & Yummy Bone Sticking Meals Plus Mini Graduation Hat Cupcakes

The boys love soup so this was a must to try, I loved it the boys liked it and Rick said it wasn’t his favorite .  But I thought it was a winner, I love barley so it was a perfect combo for me.  Here is the perfect WW Slow Cooker Potato & Bacon Chowder.

Next is a favorite of Rick’s but I thought what the heck let’s find a low fat version of it.  I added broccoli because I always love to sneak in a little veggie also .  This Chicken & Pasta Alfredo was a perfect ending for our night!

Cole’s last day of first grade was Friday . So I of course had to make something for the class.  I walked in with these Mini Cupcake Graduation Hats and of course the kids went crazy.  I love the little girls they come up to me Ms. P you always make the best things! Ahhh .

Happy Monday it’s been a crazy one, I hope to get over this cold soon .

Martha's Chowder Recipe

The boys love broccoli and you know Caden's love of corn so I was on the Google search for the perfect recipe. That and I saw the challenger on Iron Chef do a corn chowder. I found this Martha Stewart recipe that worked perfect with a few of my tweaks.

Broccoli Chowder with Corn and Bacon by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
• 1 head broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into bite-size florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup whole milk
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook bacon over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Increase heat to medium. Cook onion, stirring, until it begins to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Add broccoli, corn, thyme, and milk. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with bacon.

ALEXIS NOTES: Thank you Ms. Amy I'm on a turkey bacon kick so this I switched out with the turkey bacon. I only had red potatoes on hand so I used two of them. I used the whole wheat flour and I didn't have frozen so I used canned corn.

Cole loved it he ate THREE bowls, Caden and Rick turned their noses up at it. More for me and Cole :). NO CLUE WHY IT KEEPS UNDERLINING ... UGH

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesdays.