News Taffy

Regular readers know I am always pushing everyone to eat their vegetables and cook with whole, real foods. Yes, I know that meal planning, grocery shopping and then cooking and cleaning up after is a real pain in the lower region. But the results are sooooo worth the effort. Not only do you get to eat really good tasting food but you will enjoy better health. If you think about it, when you grab fast food or eat processed food, you are allowing a corporation to control your health and make choices for you. I know I’d rather make those choices for myself as no one cares about my health more than I do.

All family members agreed this Southern Living recipe was the bomb! The flavors were so incredible you’ll want to lick your bowl. I’m not going to lie, this recipe is more trouble than the ones I usually share but only because you have to cut the corn off the cob. Other than that, you just throw everything in the slow cooker and forget about it for several hours. How nice is that? Best of all, there were plenty of leftovers for another meal, meaning I only had to cook once and eat twice!

If you have large cobs, 10 will do as my slow cooker was nearly full; smaller cobs - you may need as many as 14 ears. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn off as closely to the cob as you can. Perhaps you can recruit another helper to make this part go faster.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

10 to 14 ears of corn
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and medium diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 cup heavy cream

Cut corn kernels from cobs, reserving 1 cup of the kernels. Place remaining corn in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Scrap cobs with the back of the knife to release all juices or milk. Add juice, chicken broth, yellow onion, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 6 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Stir together reserved cup of corn, bacon, red onion, chives and lime juice. Chill until ready to serve.

Using an immersion blender, process approximately half the chowder in the slow cooker until smooth. Stir in heavy cream and blend well. Serve with a spoonful of the reserved corn and bacon topping. Yields 8 to 10 servings.

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of fresh vegetables. If you haven’t been to the ASU Farmer’s market or stopped by a local stand yet this summer, you are missing out! There is plenty of time left as most produce is hitting its peak about now. Tidbit: corn cut off the cob is delicious to eat raw, try sprinkling it on a salad or on tacos instead of the same old toppings.