Cheese and Corn Chowder

Combine in saucepan:
1/2 cup water
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Add:
2 cups cream-style corn

Simmer 5 minutes.

Add:
1 1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup grated cheese

Stir until cheese melts and chowder is heated through. Do not boil.

Serves 4.

Option: Use leftover whole kernel corn pureed in blender.

from the More-with-Less Cookbook
http://store.mpn.net/productdetails.cfm?PC=21
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More-with-Less_Cookbook



Lenore's notes:
-I usually make a double batch because I really like leftovers.

-I'm never convinced that 1/2 cup water is enough. I add more and assume it will reduce with time.

-I also don't believe that the cooking times are long enough, so I cook until the potatoes and carrots are the consistency I like.

-I like the way potatoes & carrots look when I use a crinkle-cut cleaver instead of a knife.

-Since I'm not a big fan of the taste of cooked celery, I either reduce the amount of celery or omit it entirely. Then I increase the amount of potatoes to maybe 2 1/2 cups and the amount of carrots to at least 1 1/2 cups.

-I like kosher salt instead of iodized table salt -- use about 1/4 teaspoon to start with, then add more to taste.

-White pepper instead of black pepper (because it looks prettier).

-One can of cream-style corn is about 15 ounces, so that's what I use instead of measuring out 2 cups.

-I like to use whole milk when I want comfort food. 2% milk would be a healthier choice, I'm sure.

-My default cheese is mild cheddar cheese. Other cheeses vary the taste slightly, so it's fun to experiment.

-As with most soups, this tastes best on the second day. Be careful when reheating if you've already added the milk.


~Lenore