Shelly's Recipe

CORN-AND-POTATO CHOWDER* - Easy

Category: Chowders

2 cups peeled, diced Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 lb)
2 tbsp butter
1 (10-oz) package frozen diced onion, red and green bell pepper, and celery
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cups milk
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1 (11-oz) can yellow-and-white whole kernel corn, drained
1 (10 3/4-oz) can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 to 2 tsp. hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: thinly sliced green onions

Bring potatoes and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook potatoes 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in frozen vegetables and chopped yellow onion; saute onion mixture 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Add 2 cups milk, next 6 ingredients, and potatoes. Reduce heat to medium, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Variations:

Corn-and-Potato Seafood Chowder: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Omit 2 cups milk in Step 3, and add 1 lb. fresh crabmeat, drained, and 2 (6 1/2-oz) cans minced clams, undrained, with evaporated milk, next 5 ingredients, and potatoes. Proceed with recipe as directed. Serves 4-6

Cheddar-Corn-and-Potato Smoked Sausage Chowder: Cooked the potatoes; but did not peel them, in chicken stock and did not drain. Did not use the frozen chopped vegetables. Instead, chopped carrots, celery and onion. Sauteed them in butter along with 2 cloves minced garlic until tender. Added the cooked chopped vegetables to the potatoes. Used half-and-half instead of the evaporated milk and did not add the milk and used salt, pepper, thyme, cajun seasoning, and bay leaves as seasoning, to taste. Simmered about 10 minutes.

Chopped up the smoked sausage (I used smoked bratwurst) and added to pot. Simmered the mixture. Used a couple of tbsp cornstarch with some water to make a paste and added to make the chowder a little thicker. Added parsley, hot sauce and a small package of shreded sharp cheddar cheese and stirred until the cheese was melted. Garnished with green onion slices.