Creamy Corn Chowder

The days are getting shorter. Too short, if you ask me. And it's getting cold. Windy and cold.

All of this means that it's soup season. Not the light, thin soups of summer, but the hearty and rib-sticking stews of fall and winter. Like corn chowder.  Depending on how you make it, it can be light and delicate in flavor or thick, creamy, and oh-so-filling. I like it the second way, and topped with crispy bacon.

I love eating out on the porch, although the days we have left to do that are numbered. But with a piping hot bowl of corn chowder, it's possible to extend those days just the tiniest bit.

Creamy Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 white onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (I use potato flour for this recipe)

1 medium potato, peeled and diced 

1 quart whole milk

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 sprigs of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

For Garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4 slices bacon, fried and chopped into small pieces

2 ounce cheddar cheese, grated

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Sauté the onions for 5-8 minutes until they start to soften and then add the garlic. When the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds or so), add the flour. Add the cream slowly, stirring to incorporate it, then add the corn kernels, potatoes, thyme, and peppers, and bring to a light simmer. Simmer about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Divide into 4 soup bowls, and garnish with parsley, cheese, and bacon bits. Serve immediately.

Bonus: If you have any leftovers, you can make a next-day casserole with leftover soup. Just mix up some eggs, add the leftover soup, stir, and add some shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Bake in a casserole dish at about 350 degrees until it's done (anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much soup/how many eggs/how big or small the pan). You'll know it's done when the casserole is no longer jiggly, and the top starts to turn golden brown.