Corn Chowder

Woke up this morning to a rainy day and a fridge full of extra corn. The next step was obvious: Corn Chowder!

It's hard to motivate on a Monday morning, and even harder when it's gray, chilly and wet outside. The only thing that makes it easier is knowing that in a few short hours I'll be hanging out with good friends, sharing delicious food.

I already knew that whatever I decided to make for tonight would include corn, since I had extra that I had purchased from our Tuesday farmer's market last week. I just wasn't 100% sure what that dish would be...simple grilled corn rolled in herb butter? A fresh raw corn, bean and tomato salad? Corn salsa?

As usually happens in our household, the weather dictated the dish. Dreary New England fall days require a good hearty soup, even one that is still holding on to the vestiges of summer. So I shucked, chopped, sauteed and boiled, and currently have a wonderfully smelling chowder simmering on the stove top, just waiting for tonight.

I've made this recipe often, ever since we stumbled into an abundance of summer corn one year and needed new ways to prepare it. I start with this basic recipe from Eating Well magazine and tailor it to my needs or wants on that particular day.

For instance, today I omitted the turkey bacon, but only because I didn't have any on hand, and I didn't want that to prevent me from making this delicious soup. I've made it both with and without the turkey bacon, and while it certainly brings a punch of smokiness to the soup, it's still quite flavorful without it. I also swapped out the green bell pepper for a beautiful orange one that I had in the fridge. Everything else  was done according to the recipe.

The soup should be done in a bit and then we're off to potluck. Can't wait to see what else is in store... Update to follow!