Corn Chowder With Chipotle

This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman Cooks  - Ree Drummond. If you haven't checked out her blog/website or read her cook book - get on it! She has delicious recipes that are all crowd pleasers - and I love her photography blog too. This Corn Chowder With Chipotle is sooo good. The flavors of bacon, sweet corn and the smokiness of the chipotle peppers with a kick go together perfectly. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 slices of bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces or smaller
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 whole yellow onion diced
5 ears corn, shucked (about 4 cups)
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced
1 whole 4 ounce can diced green chilies
32 ounces fluid low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (more to taste)
3 tablespoons cornmeal or masa
1/4 cups water

Carefully slice the corn kernels off the cob. Set aside. Add bacon pieces to a pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for a couple of minutes. Throw in diced onion and stir, cooking the onion for 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add corn. Stir and cook for one minute. Add both kinds of chilies and stir. Pour in chicken broth and cream. Add salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat. Combine cornmeal (or masa) with water. Stir to combine, then pour into the chowder. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. If chowder needs more thickening, add another tablespoon or cornmeal mixed with water. Cook for another ten minutes. Serve crusty sourdough bread or in a bread bowl.

Corn Chowder With Chipotle 

(this is the last of the cell phone pics - yay!)

Chicken Tortilla Soup - In the Crock Pot

Sunday + Rain + Chilly Outside = Perfect Day for a Crock Pot Soup! 

We love soups all year 'round in my house, and I love using my Crock Pot - especially in the Fall & Winter - to make them. They are easy to make and warm you up when its cold outside and are so comforting to eat.  This is the first time I have made the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe - and it is one that I will make again! This recipe is from Better Homes & Gardens The Ultimate Slow Cooker Book with some modifications. Enjoy!

Recipe:

Prep: 15 minutes     Cook: 6 to 7 hours (low) or 3 to 3 1/2 hours (high)

Ingredients:

2  14 oz cans reduced sodium chicken broth
1  14.5 oz can stewed tomotoes undrained
2 cups cooked chicken breast (I picked up a rotisserie chicken from my grocery store to use)
2 cups frozen sweet pepper and onion stir fry veggies
3 cloves of garlic minced (I omitted this)
1/2 of an avocado, pitted, peeled, sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional - but it gives the soup a great additional flavor - i recommend using it)
1/4 cup light sour cream (optional - I omitted this)
1 bag of tortilla strips (found in salad dressing aisle in grocery - I used the chili lime ones)
* I also added some taco seasoning that I had on hand for some extra flavor - about 1 tablespoon
* I added shredded Monterey Jack cheese to sprinkle on top
* I added the juice of 1 lime for extra flavor


In crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, chicken, frozen vegetables, garlic, lime juice, and taco seasoning. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hours  or on high-heat setting for 3-3 1/2  hours. Put soup in a bowl and if desired, top with avocado, cilantro, shredded monterey jack cheese, sour cream and sprinkle with tortilla strips. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup