Potato Corn and Kale Chowder

Food

January 30, 2014

When they started talking about snow again this week, I groaned inwardly (and outwardly). Snow once a year is pretty much my limit…especially since I’m right in the middle of marathon training!! It gets too difficult to run outdoors if there’s a lot of ice on the ground. And the ice on our street had literally just melted this past Monday from the last snow!! Also, I have this fear of falling on my butt in the ice. Not fun.

Anyway, once it became pretty clear it was definitely going to snow, I decided to make the best of it and come up with some soups to make to keep me happy and warm. What’s a better excuse than snow to sit inside and watch movies, cuddle on the couch with the cat and eat?? I found this recipe on Pinterest from Good Life Eats and decided to adapt it into my own version of this comforting chowder! This is definitely a hearty, warm meal, but it does take some time to put together. It’s not great for a weeknight dinner, but for a lazy snowday? It worked out great!!

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Potato, corn, and kale chowder
Serves 6
244 calories per serving (1.5 servings fill up an anthro bowl as pictured)

Ingredients:
4 ears shucked corn (Walmart has packages of them in fours all ready to go!)
2 Tbs olive oil
2 ribs celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cups water
1/4 cup flour
2 cups of 2 percent milk (You can probably use whatever you have around the house, but a higher fat content makes this creamier, and more delicious)
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
2 Tbs butter
2 cups chopped kale
Salt and pepper to taste
Old bay seasoning to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle olive oil evenly over corn ears and roast for 20 minutes. Turn every five minutes.

2. Remove the corn from cooled ears and set aside. Add the two cups of water and the empty corn ears into a pot and bring to a boil. Put a lid on it and simmer for 30 minutes, then discard the ears and set aside “broth”. This might seem like a crazy step, but it’s so worth it in adding flavor to the finished dish!

2. Sauté onions in the butter in a large pot until soft and translucent. Then add celery and garlic and sauté a few more minutes. By this time your kitchen is going to be putting off smells that are off the CHAIN. Whisk in flour, then cook a few more minutes. Whisk in milk, corn broth, and chicken broth, and add potatoes and corn. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through, stirring once in a while.

Stir in kale and spices a minute or two before serving and heat up a couple chunks of French bread for dipping!

ENJOY.

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The thing I really liked about this recipe is, it’s somewhat versatile in that you can change or add things to suit your own tastes. I’m thinking next time I’ll add shrimp or crab meat, as seafood soups are our FAVORITES. John grew up in Maryland and crab is my favorite, so we try to eat it as much as we can! You could also add spinach, or leave out green stuff entirely. Or maybe add gnocchi or chunks of chicken?? Or sausage!! Oh man…any of those would be great! All in all this is a great, fairly low calorie recipe that’s perfect for the next snow day or lazy sunday afternoon!

 

Leave a Comment

  1. Kim says:

    This looks so good! And obviously too difficult for me. I think I will come over and have some soon 🙂

  2. Nikki Santerre says:

    So thankful you shared this recipe today! I’m having a “snowed in & sick” day today and conveniently have all those ingredients! Can’t wait to give it a try!

  3. Becca says:

    This looks delish! I’m going to have to try this out this weekend!

  4. ++++like! Not a fan of creamy soups but a HUGE fan of recipes that don’t include: “Open box, stir contents, mix well, cook, eat, get cancer from oodles of preservatives”.
    The last part they usually leave out…

    Actually now the idea of that soup on a day like this is starting to grow on us… mmmm…

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