Corn Chowder

This is my all time favorite soup.  Not because it tastes absolutely amazing (and it really does) but because it reminds me of my Grandma.  Oh boy, was she a spitfire and a half.  Not like I know anything about something like that...but I have stories for days.  

This soup reminds me of her small house across from the Armory.  It was a short walk to the park and fully equipped with strange orange and black dishes (I need to find them somewhere) and sweet yellow curtains that flew in the summer breeze.  I made this soup last weekend and it brought me right back to her house and gave me a big old hug of Grandma Nothnagel coziness.  I hope it does the same to you.   

Start with bacon...as all good things do.  I like to cut it up with my kitchen shears.  Seriously, amazing. Try it.

Fry it up, remove it from the pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Drain the majority of the bacon fat from the pot and toss it--or keep it in a leetle jar in your fridge incase the mood hits you.

Chop up an onion

And toss it into the pot.  See all that brown goodness at the bottom, the moisture from the onions and celery will make that come up...watch.

Speaking of celery, chop that up as well.

Toss it into the pot.

Since I took out the majority of the bacon fat, I added some butter.  It only seemed right.  Oh, and see those brown bits, yeah the onions and celery are doing their job.  Let them cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they start to get translucent.

Then grab a can of these guys.  Yeah, I don't buy them for anything but this...I'm sure you could boil your own potatoes but it wouldn't taste the same.

So slice them down the long way...

Then she short way to make little half moon potatoes.

Perfect..

Add some flour, this will thicken up the soup a bit.

Give it a good stir and cook the flour taste out a bit.

Add in milk.  Yes, straight up milk.  I actually make this with SKIM milk.  Can you believe it?  My mom always did I doubt my grandma did but it tastes just fine.  Remember, there is bacon, bacon fat and butter in this...skim milk is probably a wise choice.

Add in the potatoes

Creamed corn.  This is the only time I buy this stuff from the can again...Mr. Schwartz was jacked when he saw it.   Then I broke his heart and told him it was going in soup...I deprive him don't I?

Add salt...it needs quite a bit actually...

Lots of black pepper

And back in goes the bacon...or whats left of it...

Give it a good stir and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Be sure to watch it as it can scald on the bottom.  The longer you let it simmer the thicker it will get.

Perfection.

It tastes so fresh, sweet and salty at the same time.  I can't take it!

Also, I froze a bunch of this since I was making a double batch and have already re-thawed it...it came out even better and thicker than the first time.  Score!

Corn Chowder: 

1 pound bacon
2 large or 5 small-medium sized onions, chopped
4 large stalks of celery, tops included, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 14.5 oz cans new potatoes, cut into half moons
2 14 3/4 oz cans creamed corn
8 cups milk (skim is just fine)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Start by chopping and cooking the bacon in a large Dutch oven or soup pot that you plan to cook the soup in.  Once fully cooked, remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Remove the majority of the bacon grease (all but maybe a tablespoon or so) and discard.

Add the onions and celery to the pot along with the butter.  Saute these for about 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent.  Add the flour and cook for another 3-4 minutes to get the flour taste out.

Slowly pour in the milk and stir until fully combined.  Bring to a simmer while adding the potatoes and corn.  Once simmering, add the bacon and let it cook for at least 15 minutes.  It will become thicker as it cooks and even thicker once it cools a bit.  It's kind of strange that way but trust me.

Serve in large bowls and enjoy!

Recipe by: My Grandma Nothnagel

**a few notes, this is the doubled recipe and it makes a lot--freeze whatever is left and once thawed it is even better than the day you made it.

Also, it is not super thick from the get go, if you want a thicker soup add the 1/4 cup of flour and a few tablespoons to thicken it even more.