Cheddar Corn Chowder

This cheddar corn chowder is a recipe that I’ve made for almost three years.  It’s based on Ree Drummond’s corn & cheese chowder, but we didn’t care for how it turned out with bacon cooked right in the soup.  The bacon seemed rubbery, and we prefer our bacon to be a bit crispy.  So I changed it up a bit and cooked the bacon seperately.  Then to still give the soup some bacon-y flavor, I used some of the drippings to saute the onions, peppers and garlic in.  For us, it takes the flavor up to a whole new level.

Because I use the drippings to to saute with, I get the lower sodium bacon.  I also go easy on the salt while I’m seasoning the chowder.   I also go a bit wild on this recipe and use a bag of frozen corn.  Now I realize that I do freeze a LOT of corn in the summer, but I don’t think it does well in this particular recipe.  Call me crazy, but I prefer this to have a bit of sweet with the salty and cheesy, rather than a whole lot of sweet.

You can pair it with a good crusty bread, some crescents, a nice side salad, or just eat it by itself.  This recipe also makes a ton, which means there’s always leftovers.  Bookworm loves taking some in his lunch pail the next day.  Either way, it’s very budget friendly, and is a great way to use up some items in your fridge and freezer!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4T butter, or 2T butter & 2T bacon drippings
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 bag frozen corn
• 1 cup half & half
• 8oz block sharp cheddar, shredded
• OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
• bacon, cooked
• sour cream
• shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a dutch oven or a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Saute onion and pepper until softened and translucent.  Add garlic and saute for another minute.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle flour over veggies, stirring to coat.  Cook for another minute or two.
3. Slowly add broth, making sure all flour is incorporated and there are no more flour lumps.  Add frozen corn.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add in half & half, and simmer 15-20 minutes.
6. Turn off heat.  Slowly add in cheese, stirring after each addition to make sure it’s melted.  Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.
7. Serve warm with choice of toppings.

Serves 6-10