It has finally gotten cold in the desert, so I must admit, I’m spending more time running indoors. Like 15 of my 20 per day miles, indoors. Like I’m having to take Vitamin D supplements in one of the sunniest places in the country, indoors.
Yes, I am a big fat baby.
But since I’m not training for anything, I just can’t get motivated to put on gloves and a hat and all those extra layers, without which I spend the whole run whining about how cold it is. Instead, I can get on my treadmill, put on the Great British Bake Off, and watch all those incredibly lovely and polite Brits turn regular “sponge” into peacocks, and meringue into Her Majesty’s crown. Now really, doesn’t that sound more entertaining than frostbite?
Since I’m indoors most of the day, I’ve taken to cooking up big pots of soups and stews – things that need to be left to their own devices for a long time to work their magic. Tim, over the last 10 days, has been the very gracious consumer of Baked Potato Cheese Soup, Steak Soup, Chicken and Rice Soup, Texas Chili and last night, Corn and Cheddar Chowder. He hasn’t even given a hint of, “What the heck is she doing?! How much soup can a man eat?” Nope. He’s been very pleasant about the whole thing (maybe because he’s afraid of some sort of soup/stew coup). Anyway, lately, there is always some sort of pot on the stove, just like in the Wicked Witch’s gingerbread house. When I’m in, I go all in, My Pretty.
This Corn and Cheddar Chowder is really just a result of needing to make something different without actually making something different. Know what I mean? I’m not a huge fan of corn chowder because it is too sweet (remember my weird thing about non-dessert sweet foods?). I really wanted a creamy soup, something I hadn’t made in awhile (which ruled out Cream of Asparagus, Potato, and Cauliflower). I went to the store and saw the last of the fresh corn.
Ehhh…Corn Chowder kind of sounded good, but I wasn’t just dying for it. Then I thought, what if I figured out how to “savory it up” (that’s cooking talk, y’all)?
And this recipe is what happened. I’m now a huge fan of Corn Chowder, especially when it has two cups of cheddar cheese and two cups of half and half. Seriously. How could that ever be bad?
P.S. I realize I have mixed witch references from Shakespeare, Grimm and The Wizard of Oz above, but as long as I’ve conjured an image of a crazy-bat witch hovering over a steaming cauldron, my work here is done.
Corn and Cheddar Chowder
3 strips of bacon, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (I used orange and green, but your choice)
4 ears of corn, kernels cut off
2 tablespoons AP flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
Salt and Pepper
In a large stew pot or dutch oven, brown up the bacon over medium high heat. Get it nice and crispy so it doesn’t go limp in the soup.
Add the butter. After it has melted, add the chopped onions. Cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped bell peppers. Cook another 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are softened.
Add the corn kernels and cook for another 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for one minute.
Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for 10 minutes so the soup thickens.
Add half and half and cheddar cheese. Stir well and let simmer, making sure all the cheese is melted and incorporated.
This soup can simmer on very low for awhile as long as you keep stirring it periodically so the cheese doesn’t stick to the bottom. It will continue to thicken, though, so I turn off the heat and let it hang out on the stove (for up to an hour) until I’m ready to serve it.
Mom, ultrarunner, four-time US 24 Hour National Team member, adventure athlete, food writer. Graduate of the Pro Cooking Program at the New School of Cooking, Los Angeles. Will run for food.
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