Pork & White Bean Stew!



This is a delicious stew with tender chunks of pork and white beans.  It has a little spice to it, but you can adjust that to your families taste.  This is one of those stews you simmer all afternoon to get the best results.  It smells so good cooking.   Make some Cornbread Hoe Cakes or Aunt Vel's Sour Cream Cornbread to go with the stew and you have a wonderful meal! 

 Here is what you will need:

1  1/2 to 2 lbs boneless pork loin, cubed (could use pork loin chops)

1/4 vegetable or canola oil

1 Tbs. bacon drippings

salt

black pepper

seasoned salt

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 lb. navy or great northern beans

2 quarts water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 (10 oz.) can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne powder (optional)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, brown the cubed pork in the oil and the bacon drippings.   The bacon drippings give it a really good flavor, but you can leave it out and it's still good.  Sprinkle the meat with salt, black pepper and seasoned salt to your taste.  When the meat is starting to brown, add the onion and celery and just cook them a little with the meat, just until they are starting to get tender. Add the garlic right at the end of the browning so it doesn't burn.

Wash and pick through the beans.   Add the beans and all of the rest of the ingredients except the parsley to the pot and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn down to medium low, cover and simmer for about three to four hours.   Check for water once every hour or so.   It might need a little added as it cooks.  It should be fairly thick when it's done.    Also taste the last hour to check the seasoning.  You might need to add salt,  but I didn't, because I had seasoned the meat fairly liberally.   It's done when the beans are nice and soft.  White beans do not take quite as much time as something like pintos.  I used navy beans and they cook fairly quickly.  Mine was done in 3 hours, once the beans were added.

 Stir in the fresh parsley right before serving!  Fry some cornbread, pour the sweet tea and enjoy!



Bacon Cheeseburger Soup!

 

 

 This is "Bacon Cheeseburger Soup" and it is as delicious as the name indicates it might be!  If you have a family that is hard to fill up with just soup alone, this one might be the answer. 

It's hardy and with some good bread and maybe a salad or fruit, it's a meal!  This really stretches a pound of ground beef also.   I like it because you can have it on the table in less than an hour and if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, it is just as good the next day!    

 Here is what you will need to make this soup:

 

 

12 slices bacon cut in 1" pieces

1 lb. ground chuck  (can use ground beef)

1 medium sweet onion diced

1/2 cup carrots, diced or cut in matchsticks

1/2 cup celery, sliced thin

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. spicy brown or Dijon mustard

4 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth (can use 4 cups water with 2 Knorr chicken bullion cubes)

4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2  tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed (can use cheddar cheese)

3 cups half and half cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

1 cup sliced green onions for garnish

 

 

Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp.  Remove to a plate.  The bacon will be used to sprinkle on each serving before serving. 

 

Drain all of the bacon drippings except about 1 Tbs.  Saute the ground chuck, carrots, celery, an onion until the beef is browned and cooked through and the vegetables are tender.   If there is a  lot of excess grease, drain.    Add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard to the beef mixture. 

 

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven,  melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two.  It will form a paste or light roux.  

Whisk in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil whisking to make sure it's smooth and no lumps form.  Add the potatoes and all of the seasonings.   Cover and cook on low until the potatoes are fork tender.  This take about 15 - 20 minutes.  Stir halfway through to be sure they aren't sticking.   When the potatoes are tender, add the Velveeta and the ground beef mixture and stir.  Cover and leave on low heat for about 10 minutes or just until the cheese has melted.  Stir in the half and half cream, cover and heat through for about 5 or 10 more minutes.   Give it one last stir and it's ready to serve!

Garnish each serving with bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions!  

 

 

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili!

When that first chill gets in the air here in southern Kentucky, I start to think about things like this "White Chicken Chili"!   I usually make this on the stove top, but this is a great recipe to just throw in the slow cooker and forget it until time to eat also.  The great thing is that you probably already have the ingredients on hand.

Here is what you will need for this:

4 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

2 cans white beans (navy or great northern)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

 2 tsp. cumin 

 1 tsp. oregano

pinch of cayenne pepper

3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes (if you use another brand of the small square ones use about 6)***

5-6 cups water (depending how thick you like it)

1/4 cup chopped jalapenos (can substitute a small can of mild green chilies if you don't like too much heat)

dash of hot sauce to taste (I use Tabasco, but this is optional)

8 oz. cream cheese

2 cups shredded Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese

Garnishes

green onions, chopped

Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheeses

jalapeno pepper rings

***you can substitute 6 cups of chicken broth for the water and bullion cubes if desired

Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, except the cream cheese and Monterrey Jack or pepper jack cheeses.   Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 5 to 6 hours. 

The last hour add the cream cheese, cubed and the 2 cups Monterrey Jack or pepper jack cheese.  Stir about halfway through just to blend as it melts.  

Serve with the garnishes of your choice!  This is great with tortilla chips or Frito Scoops!

Country Beef Stew!

There is nothing any more comforting and wonderful tasting as a big pot of beef stew on a chilly day!  We just love it!  I just use the basics in my beef stew, stew meat, carrots, onion, potatoes and celery.  You can add green peas or corn if you like though.  This is one you need a good two hours to cook low and slow, but the results are well worth it.

So here is what you are going to need for the beef stew.  Some recipes I see called beef stew have all kinds of mixed vegetables and tomatoes or tomato sauce in them.  That is not beef stew, that is vegetable beef soup where I come from.  This is beef stew:

2lbs beef stew meat or round steak cut into cubes, onion, 4 stalks of celery, a bag of tiny baby carrots, potatoes, beef stew mix, seasoned salt, Nature's Seasoning, and pepper.

Place 2 cups flour in a shallow dish or pie plate.  Sprinkle with  1 tsp of seasoned salt, 1 tsp. Nature's Seasoning, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Mix thoroughly with a fork.

Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a dutch oven.

Toss the beef stew meat in the flour coating lightly.

Place in hot oil and brown well.  This will stick if you don't keep moving it around.  You will need to brown the meat in batches because it will be too much for one pan full. Remove the first batch and place on a plate, then move to the next batch.

 

On the last batch, chop your onion (not too fine, just a rough chop) and add to the browning meat to soften it. 

There will be browned bits stuck to the pan when the meat has browned.  Keep the heat up on medium high and pour a cup of water into the pan to deglaze using a rubber spoon or spatula which won't scratch your pot. Get all of this browned flour off of the bottom of the pan or our stew will stick.

Now add your package of stew seasoning mix and 3 cups water.  Mix it up well. The package of stew seasoning might say 2 cups water but it won't be enough.

This is the consistency you have.  Cover and turn to medium low.  Cook for 1 hr., but stir this every 20 minutes and make sure you scrape the bottom so it doesn't stick.  It will stick and burn if you do not do this.

 Wash chop your  celery, potatoes and carrots (I like to use the baby carrots).  Add them to the pot and stir with 3 more cups of water or more if needed, cook for 1 more hour.  Taste at this point and you might need to sprinkle with a little more seasoned salt and pepper to your taste.

Make some cornbread and slice some sweet onions and you are ready to serve!  It's delicious and the leftovers are just as good the next day!

Ingredients:

2 lbs stew meat

5-6 potatoes

3 cups carrots or bag of tiny baby carrots

1 medium yellow onion

4 stalks celery

1 pkg beef stew seasoning (I love the Kroger brand, but any will do)

about 6 -7 cups water

1 tsp Nature's Seasoning

1tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 cups flour

1/2 cup oil to brown meat

Chicken and Dumpling Soup!!!

If you love chicken and dumplings, this soup will become a favorite!!!   This is a soup, not our recipe for actual chicken and dumplings, so it is a bit different and I do give you some shortcuts on this!!!


 Here is what you will need:

4 large, bone in chicken breasts with skin

1 medium sweet onion, diced

3 large carrots, peeled and diced or an 8 oz. bag of baby carrots, diced

3 celery ribs, sliced thin

4 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

3 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

tsp. curry powder (optional)

1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix

1  (10 3/4 oz.) can of cream of chicken soup

1  (16.3 oz.) can of refrigerated biscuits (the Grands work well)

Place the chicken,  vegetables, broth, water, butter, spices, ranch dressing mix and cream of chicken soup in a Dutch oven or large stock or soup pot!  The curry powder is very optional in this, because I know not everyone loves curry, but we do so I add it.  It's wonderful when you have colds and such for opening up the airways.  Feel free to leave it out and it's still delicious.  The ranch dressing mix gives this soup a wonderful flavor also!  Don't leave that out!!

 Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer for about an hour and a half or two hours.  Remove the chicken and place on a plate to cool.  Once it's cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred it with a fork.   Return it to the soup pot.

I used canned biscuits in this to make it quicker and easier, but if you want from scratch dumplings, you can go to my recipe for Mama's Chicken and Dumplings and make those instead which is what I actually do most of the time!

If you are using the canned biscuits, roll or press each one on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut in half inch strips.   A pizza cutter works great for this!   Bring the soup up to a low boil and drop the dough in.  Stir just slightly to make sure it doesn't stick together.   Once they are all dropped, lower the heat to simmer and cover for about 20 minutes to finish cooking.  Stir occasionally so the dumplings don't stick together.   Then it's ready to serve!!!

Chicken and Dumpling Soup!!! 

Silky Chicken Noodle Soup!

When someone in my family is sick or under the weather, I make soup.  I am sure I have an old Jewish grandmother in me trying to get out or something.  I usually make chicken soup or potato soup and sometimes clam chowder.  This soup has gotten my son through everything from a bad cold, numerous strep throats, broken fingers to broken hearts.  Yesterday, I had a call for the soup so I got my big soup pot out and got to cookin'. 

You know how they tell you that you have to boil a big ole whole chicken for good chicken soup?  It's not really true.  You can use chicken breasts and other seasonings and still get a good chicken soup. 

 Here is what you will need:

4-5 chicken breasts

10 cups water

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes

2 packets Swanson Flavor Boost Chicken Flavor

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 tsps. Lawry's poultry and chicken rub

3 stalks celery with leaves

1 whole onion

8 oz. wide egg noodles

2 cups half and half cream

Take 4 -5 chicken breasts, 10 cups water, 3 stalks of celery with leaves still on and an onion cut in half in a stock pot or Dutch oven.  Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper.  You can use boneless chicken breasts or bone-in, you will just have to remove bones after it cooks.

Add 3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes and 2 Swanson Flavor Boost chicken packets.  If you don't have Knorr and use the small bouillon cubes you will need to use about 6 of those.  Knorr is really best.  If you don't have the Swanson Flavor Boost use 2 extra Knorr bouillon cubes.  If you have homemade frozen chicken broth you can add 3 cups instead of this bouillon.  Sometimes I make broth and freeze it ahead.

Bring this to a boil and then reduce to simmer.  Simmer for at least an hour.  Remove chicken to a plate to cool.  Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.  Pour the clear broth back into the stock pot and add 1 can of cream of chicken soup.  Whisk with a wire whisk to break it down and bring this to a boil. 

Add 2 tsp. Lawry's Chicken and Poultry Rub, if you don't have this (you must get some because it makes all the difference in the world), but you can substitute 1 tsp. poultry seasoning and 1 tsp. curry powder.

Once it boils add 8 - 10 oz. wide egg noodles.  I usually add about 1/2 of a 16 oz. bag. Shred or chop the chicken into bit size pieces and add it back to the pot.  Bring it back up to a boil then turn it down to low and cover so the noodles and chicken just simmer for about 20 minutes. 

At the end add 2 cups of half and half cream.  That is the silky in this soup and it makes it so delicious and smooth.   Do not let the soup come back to boiling once the cream has been added.  It should be kept on low heat.  If you are feeling really decadent, you can use 2 cups of cream instead of half and half, but the half and half works just as well.



Hot Dog Chili Sauce!!!

Sometime there is nothing better than a good chili dog!  However, I find the canned chili dog sauces available to be lacking for the most part.   That is why I usually make my own.  It's so easy and tastes so much better.  This sauce can be doubled and then froze for future use also which is nice.

 Here is what you need:

1 lb. ground chuck or ground beef

1 small sweet onion, diced fine

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbs. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1  (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbs. brown sugar

dash of hot sauce to taste

1 (15 oz.) can chili beans (optional)

Brown the ground chuck along with the diced onion in a skillet.  Drain excess grease.  Add the seasonings, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and hot sauce.   Mix well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer.  If you are adding the beans add them now.  Beans are optional.  Some people like a plain, beanless hot dog chili.  We like the beans in it so I add them.  Leave this uncovered and simmer until it thickens up, then it's ready to use.   

This sauce is great on hot dogs, brats, smoked sausages, whatever.  I also use it on nachos, baked potatoes, tater tots, and chili cheese fries!   It's very versatile.  

Chicken Taco Soup!

This "Chicken Taco Soup" puts a little different spin on the usual Taco Soup  that is made with ground beef.  I came up with this one day when I just didn't have any ground chuck thawed out, but I had some chicken breasts.

The results were delicious and I think we liked it just as well, if not even better!  I cooked this on the stove top, but you could use your slow cooker also.

Here is what you will need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (could use a rotisserie chicken)

olive oil

seasoned salt 

black pepper

1 medium sweet onion, diced

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

1 (14.5 oz.) can Red Gold chili ready tomatoes

1 (10.5 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can Great Northern or navy beans, drained and rinsed 

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

3 cups water

Garnishes

shredded cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese

sliced green onions

sliced black olives

jalapeno pepper rings

sour cream

Fritos or tortilla chips

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil.  Sprinkle both sides lightly with seasoned salt and black pepper.   Roast in the oven at 375 for about 40-45 minutes or untl done.  Turn over once about midway through.  Take and allow to cool enough for handling.  While they cool some, prepare the other ingredients.

Place about 3 Tbs. olive oil in a Dutch oven or a soup pot.  Add the onion and bell pepper and saute just until they are starting to get tender.  Add all of the other ingredients and stir to blend.  

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add it to the pot.  If you use two forks to shred  the chicken it makes it easier.   Bring up to a boil and then reduce to medium low and cook for about 30 - 45 minutes.  The longer this simmers the better the flavors become.  

If you want to use your slow cooker for this, place the onion and bell pepper in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Place the chicken breasts, raw, on top of that layer and season with seasoned salt and pepper. Add the other ingredients and reduce the water to 1 cup.  Cook for 8 hours on low.  Remove the chicken breasts, shred them and then return to the soup.

I set the various toppings out in individual bowls and let everyone top their own how they like! This was a sure winner at our house!

Game Day Chili!

This is my "Game Day Chili"!  It's a chili that has beef and beans in it and a bit of a kick also!  This chili is for those who like it spicy!  I know the whole debate over chili with or without beans.  Some areas don't think it's chili if it has beans in it.  Other areas wouldn't think it was right without the beans.   This is Kentucky so if you can add a bean to something, 9 out of 10 times, we will.  We just really like our beans here.

 A big pot of this chili will feed a crowd and it's perfect to have when people are coming over to watch the big game.   This chili also just gets better the next day!

Here is what you will need:

2 lbs. ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

2 (14.5 oz.) cans chili ready tomatoes (I used the Red Gold brand)

1 (10.5 oz.) can Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chillies

1 (15 oz.) can of tomato sauce

2 (15 oz.) cans of chili beans

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning ( I use Tony Chachere)

1 Tbs. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. hot sauce ( I used Tabasco)

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 cups water

In a large Dutch oven, brown the ground chuck with the onions, bell peppers and jalapeno peppers to just soften them.  Drain any excess grease.  

Add all of the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix.  The Red Gold chili ready tomatoes have some chili seasoning in them, so they add to the flavor of this chili. If you use regular diced tomatoes, you might need a touch more chili powder and cumin.   Season it to your taste.

 If you wonder about the brown sugar in this recipe, I always add sugar to tomato based recipes to cut the acidity.  Just a tad, makes the flavor so much better.

Bring up to a boil and boil for a minute or two. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover.   Cook for at least an hour.  Stir during this time to prevent sticking.  It's best if you turn to low and cook for another hour.   The longer it has to just simmer on very low heat on the stove, the better it gets.  

Serve with whatever toppings you like on the side.  I like a little shredded cheese.  Sour cream, additional jalapenos, or some diced onion are also good!  

Hungarian Goulash!

 Growing up, my mother made two very different dishes she called goulash.  One was the classic Southern Goulash which is made with ground beef, tomatoes, and macaroni and the other was this Hungarian Goulash, which has tender chunks of stew meat, green peppers, onion and carrots and is served over egg noodles!   

We had the first one the most, probably because it was less time consuming to make, but when Mama said we were having goulash, I hoped she meant the Hungarian version.  It was always one of my favorite meals.  

I am sure this recipe is not authentically Hungarian, because I don't remember even knowing anyone Hungarian growing up.  However, I do know this is delicious.  This is just sort of a southern spin on Hungarian Goulash.  Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. stew meat or to round steak, cubed

1 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1/3 cup oil

1 Tbs. bacon drippings

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced large

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth

1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. black paper

1 Tbs. paprika

1 bag baby carrots

1 cup sour cream

If you are using precut stew meat, trim all of the fat off of it.  If you are using top round, just cut it in good size cubes.  In a shallow dish, a pie plate works well, combine the flour, 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and 1 tsp. paprika.  Coat the beef cubes on all sides in the seasoned flour. 

Heat the oil and bacon drippings in a heavy Dutch Oven on the stove top. If you don't have bacon drippings, you can leave them out, but they add so much flavor to this. 

 In batches place the floured beef cubes and brown on all sides well.   Don't place them all in at once or they won't brown.  Once they are all browned, add the onion and the green pepper and saute them just a little.  Add the minced garlic after the onion and green pepper starts to get tender and cook it just  minute or so.  Garlic burns easily so don't over cook it. 

 Use can of beef broth to deglaze the pan.  Scrape all of the browned bits up from the bottom.  Those browned bits are full of flavor and if you don't deglaze this will tend to stick which you do not want.

Add the tomato sauce and the stewed tomatoes.  Break the stewed tomatoes up some if they are not already.  Add 1 tsp. seasoned salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and 1 Tbs. of paprika.  I use a sweet paprika, but if you are using a hot paprika, you might want to cut this amount back come.

Bring everything up to a boil, then turn the heat back to medium low, cover and cook for 1 hour.  Check about half way through and stir to be sure it's not sticking. After one hour add the baby carrots and cover and cook for 1 more hour.  Again check half way through and stir so that this doesn't stick.

After two hours, the meat should be tender and the gravy should be nice and thick.  If at any point, it seems too thick, add some water. 

 Temper the sour cream by adding a little of the hot gravy to it and stirring it in to slowly warm it.  Once the sour cream is warm, add it all to the pan and stir until it is incorporated.  If you don't temper the sour cream and just add it cold all at once, it will break and won't incorporate into the sauce smoothly. 

 Just heat through, don't allow this to boil once the sour cream is added.

Spoon over wide eggs noodles and serve!  You can garnish with a dollop of additional sour cream and a little green onion or chives!  This is one of my favorite meals and smelling it cooking brings back good childhood memories for me! 





Double Bacon Cheeseburger Soup!

 This is "Double Bacon Cheeseburger Soup" and it is as delicious as the name indicates it might be!  If you have a family that is hard to fill up with just soup alone, this one might be the answer.  It's hardy and with some good bread and maybe a salad or fruit, it's a meal! 

This really stretches a pound of ground beef also.   I like it because you can have it on the table in less than an hour and if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, it is just as good the next day!   

Here is what you will need to make this soup:

12 slices bacon cut in 1" pieces

1 lb. ground chuck  (can use ground beef)

1 medium sweet onion diced

1/2 cup carrots, diced or cut in matchsticks

1/2 cup celery, sliced thin

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. spicy brown or Dijon mustard

4 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth (can use 4 cups water with 2 Knorr chicken bullion cubes)

4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2  tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed (can use cheddar cheese)

3 cups half and half cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

1 cup sliced green onions for garnish

Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp.  Remove to a plate.  The bacon will be used to sprinkle on each serving before serving. 

Drain all of the bacon drippings except about 1 Tbs.  Saute the ground chuck, carrots, celery, an onion until the beef is browned and cooked through and the vegetables are tender.   If there is a  lot of excess grease, drain.    Add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard to the beef mixture.

 

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven,  melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two.  It will form a paste or light roux.  

Whisk in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil whisking to make sure it's smooth and no lumps form.  Add the potatoes and all of the seasonings.   Cover and cook on low until the potatoes are fork tender.  This take about 15 - 20 minutes.  Stir halfway through to be sure they aren't sticking.   When the potatoes are tender, add the Velveeta and the ground beef mixture and stir.  Cover and leave on low heat for about 10 minutes or just until the cheese has melted.  Stir in the half and half cream, cover and heat through for about 5 or 10 more minutes.   Give it one last stir and it's ready to serve!

Garnish each serving with bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions! 

Cheesy Chicken & Corn Chowder!

As you can tell, we love soups, especially in the cooler months, but we eat soup year round also.  I have so many family favorites I make a lot, but I also like to try new recipes and see if they become family favorites.   I do cook for sort of picky eaters so I have to modify some recipes and cook one thing for some and another for others.  

 This "Cheesy Chicken and Corn Chowder" is just perfect for a family of picky eaters, because it has ingredients most everyone will eat!  This might be one of my new favorites and I know it went over big with my husband.  He loved it!!!  

Here is what you will need:

3 cups chicken breast meat, cooked and shredded

10 slices of bacon, cut in 1" pieces

3 Tbs. butter

1/2 of a red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 sweet onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced fine (optional, but it adds a little kick)

1/4 cup flour

6 cups chicken broth (you can use instead 6 cups water and 3 Knorr Chicken Bullion Cubes)

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3 cups peeled and diced potatoes (about 3 large potatoes)

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1  1/2 cups heavy cream (can substitute half and half)

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheddar Cheese blend

Garnishes

additional cheese

chopped green onions

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, fry the bacon until crisp.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Add the butter to the bacon drippings in the pot, scraping the browned bits up.  When it's melted add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeno, if you are using it.  If you are not used to working with jalapenos, use gloves when you handle them, because the juices will burn sometimes. If you want a spicier soup, leave the seeds in.  Saute the vegetables until tender.  Add in the flour and cook for just a minute or two.  

Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth.  Add the diced potatoes. Add the seasoned salt, salt and pepper.  Bring up to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Add the shredded chicken and corn!  Cover and cook on low for about 20 more minutes! 

At the very end stir in the cheese and cream and heat through about 5 to 10 minutes.  You can use half and half instead of the cream, but the cream makes this so wonderfully decadent.  Can chowder be decadent...lol?  It was, believe me!!! 

Garnish each bowl with the crisp bacon, additional cheese and green onion, if desired!

This is such a hearty soup and it's just a little different!  We loved it!