Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Like so many of us, my mind immediately turns to soup when the weather drops. It's understandable, what could be better to warm the belly and soul than warm, brothy goodness. There are so many good soups out there, but when I need extra comfort, I tend to prefer stews or chowders, they're thicker, heartier and sometimes a bit meatier.



This chowder was a total hit in our house. The thickness and sweetness of it comes primarily from the corn, but then you get bit chunks of shrimp as well as smoky bacon. It's a wonderful experience to eat, especially with a crusty hunk of bread. Mmmm, it's enough to brighten any chilly fall day.



Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp
Cooking Light July 2011

Ingredients

6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup prechopped onion
1/2 cup prechopped celery
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/3 cup half-and-half (I use fat-free)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; saute 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown. Remove 2 slices bacon. Drain on paper towels. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through minced garlic) to pan, and saute for 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes.

2. Place 2 cups of corn mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed corn mixture to pan. Stir in shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done. Stir in half-and-half, pepper, and salt. Crumble reserved bacon over soup.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Just in this last year, I have discovered my love for the flavors of Buffalo Chicken. And it's a good thing too, it seems to be everywhere these days! In the form of sandwiches, pastas, casseroles, and of course, you can't beat the old fashioned wing.


I found this idea on Pinterest, in need of using up the last bit of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade I received as a part of the Foodbuzz Program. It's so easy, and so tasty! The chicken comes out tender, spicy and slightly sweet, which is the perfect thing to pair with pungent blue cheese and crisp lettuce. Wrapped in a tortilla and you have a finger licking lunch on your hands. It will definitely warm your belly on these cooler fall days.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

4-5 flour or whole wheat tortillas
5-6 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1 1/2 cup Buffalo Chicken Marinade or preferred hot sauce
Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola crumbles
Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing
chopped lettuce and tomato (optional)

Directions

In a crockpot, combine chicken thighs and Buffalo Sauce. Cook on high for 3-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and falls apart easily. Shred chicken with sauce.

Assemble wrap with chicken, Blue Cheese, dressing, lettuce and tomato. Wrap tightly and fasten with toothpicks if desired. Enjoy! Napkins recommended!

Fresh Tomato and Sausage Pasta

I had a great day today! My son started his first day of preschool today, and that combined with my daughter being in school, left me gloriously child free for two and a half hours! I grabbed a friend, who is also newly childless and we hit the town... Well okay, we hit a craft store, and the mall, but we also fit in a late breakfast at Whole Foods, as well as peaceful conversation without any whining, hitting or biting. It. Was. Fantastic.

Afterward I picked up a little boy who walked with a bit more swagger in his step. He was, afterall, a preschooler, which makes him much cooler. We enjoyed some time at the park afterward, because even though it's September, it's still hot, and humid. I'm actually okay with it though because I'm not quite sure I'm done eating all of my summer favorites, like this dish.


I rarely repeat recipes on my blog, but this goes down as one of my all time favorite recipes. It's basically all of my very favorite foods in one skillet, basil, pasta, tomatoes, cheese, sausage, delicious! I felt like it would be remiss of me not to re-introduce it, especially when the weather still allows it.

Fresh Tomato and Sausage Pasta
Cooking Light September 2009

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked penne
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup vertically sliced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds tomato, chopped
6 tablespoons grated, fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook four minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Serves 4: 2 cups pasta, 1 tablespoon cheese

Per Serving: 389 cal, 10.7g fat, 21.6g prot, 4.5g fiber, 27mg chol

Berries and Chocolate

Growing up with my parents meant learning how to say thank you. You say thank you when someone passes you the broccoli at the table, you send a thank you card when given a gift, and when someone goes out of their way to really do something nice, you say thank you in style, like this platter of berries and chocolate.


My mom really wanted to say thank you to a local dental office after they went above and beyond to beautify her smile. We put our heads together and decided on a platter of fruit and chocolate. Costco had a gorgeous selection of Rainier cherries, strawberries and blackberries, so we went with those. We then set to work making Funfetti cakeballs, raspberry cheesecake bites, and Ghiradhelli brownie bites (from the boxed mix).

It turned out to be a really fun platter to deliver, and it was definitely a crowd pleaser. You could do something like this for a shower, a party, or a fun way to surprise a loved one. And of course, it's a wonderful way to say thank you!

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema

If you ever go to Mission Beach in San Diego, there is a little Restaurant on the boardwalk called Roberto's. There you will find some of the freshest and best fish tacos you've ever sunk your teeth into. It's a highlight when we vacation there, and I definitely get my fill! Since then, it's been really hard to find a fish taco that I've liked as much as those, but these are definitely close! They're also quite a bit lighter.



What I like most about these tacos, besides the fact that they're crazy delicious, is how easy they are to make. The ingredients are all very accessible, most you will already have in your fridge or pantry, and if you don't want to fire up the grill, then you can roast the fish in the oven. I like to eat these while imagining that I'm sitting on the beach!



Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema

From Cooking Light December 2006



Ingredients

Crema:

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced



Tacos:

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets

Cooking spray

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cabbage (or use a bagged coleslaw mix)



Directions



Preheat oven to 425°.



To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.



To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish (don't be shy with it, get it good and coated). Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.