The Spice In Life

I had volunteer training all week (it's from 6pm-9pm each evening), so I decided to make several meals that we could easily heat up.

I saw this recipe on the Food Network and I really wanted to try it. It was delicious and it also heats up really well. It had just enough spice to make it taste really good, but not so much heat that you couldn't enjoy it.

I made a few substitutions to make it a little bit healthier. I did not use the bacon or the bacon grease and I used half and half instead of heavy cream. I wouldn't exactly call it a healthy recipe, but it's a little better with those changes.

Spicy Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
4 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small jalapeno, chopped seeds and ribs removed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 large red potatoes, well scrubbed and small diced
1 cup heavy cream
16 ounces frozen corn
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, saute the bacon until crisp and browned and the fat is rendered. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel and reserve. There should be about 4 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan.

Add the onions and red pepper to pan. Saute until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook the flour until it reaches a slight blonde color, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock and the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes; potatoes will become soft. Add the cream, corn, cayenne and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon.

I made it on Sunday evening and we also had grilled cheese and turkey sandwiches. Pretty good dinner! Later in the week, I served a soup with Italian sausage and tomatoes. And one morning, I put a roast with potatoes and carrots in the crockpot. It's nice to have a home cooked meal during a crazy hectic week. I think Jeremy and James appreciated it as well!