In a Snap Potato Corn Chowder

Even though its close to 60 degrees this weekend, I promised a special lady that I would make her soup. She actually requested that I make her baked potato soup, but I wanted her to try my In a Snap Potato Corn Chowder first. I've made this soup multiple times, and have shared the recipe just as many! It's so comforting and simple, and you can top it with whatever you want. It's lower in fat and calories then real chowders because my recipe uses 1% milk and flour instead of heavy cream.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter (you can use less)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 garlic clove smashed
• 2 teaspoons salt (I actually end up using more, but don't add until the very end)
• 4 cups water
• 5 potatoes, peeled and diced (the size doesn't matter, since you will blend this anyway) 
• 4 cup frozen sweet corn kernels
• ¹/₂ cup 1% milk
• freshly ground black pepper
• Toppings (I always serve this with lots of scallions, bacon and cheese)

Directions

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onion and celery begin to soften.

Add water and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Add the milk and stir. Use an immersion blender (or a real blender if you don't have an immersion blender) to blend the potato mixture to a creamy consistency that resembles watered-down mashed potatoes. Return the mixture to the pot. (If the texture is too watery, you can add 1T of flour and cook for another few minutes until the mixture thickens up a bit.)

Add corn and simmer for 5 minutes. If you're using scallions, chop them and add them in at this step. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with cheese, bacon or whatever else you can think of. Get creative! Next time, I may add a dash of cayenne.


Adapted from: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meals-and-menus/holidays-and-entertaining/holidays/easy-delicious-corn-potato-chowder

Sherry Shallot Cream Sauce

A few weeks ago, I wanted a nice, rich sauce to go with some hazelnut-crusted tilapia I bought. Since the fish was fairly healthy, and I had eaten pretty healthy all day, I figured I could splurge. I know I wanted creamy (dairy is my downfall!), and I knew I wanted savory, so I googled some beurre blanc recipes. I ended on this Easy Sherry Cream Sauce, which is just as simple and delicious as it sounds. It was everything I was hoping for, and this earned me a "9/10" on the Guinea Pig scale. (See About Me column.)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 2 small cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons sherry
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Spring thyme

Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Smash garlic; add to butter. Add the chopped shallot, and saute for 1 minute. Add cream and sherry; bring to a simmer. (I simmered mine with some thyme, which I removed before serving. The taste was just faint enough.) Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until sauce reduces and nicely coats the back of a spoon. Taste and add salt and pepper.

Some people strain the sauce so you are left with a creamy sauce, and no lumps from the garlic and onions, but I chose to serve my sauce without straining it.

Adapted from: http://southernfood.about.com/od/saucerecipes/r/bl51026e.htm.