Potato Corn & Bacon Chowder

I love good hearty soups, stews and chowders in the fall and winter. They are quick, easy meals to prepare and so delicious.

Here in South Carolina, as soon as the temps lower just a bit in the early fall, chowders like this are my go to for many weeknight meals. This chowder is rich, creamy and thick ... a real stick to your ribs kind of meal, delicious with a side salad and a good crusty bread to dunk.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 shallots, diced (or one small onion)
4 tbls butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken bone broth or stock
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes (2 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, not Russet)
1 cup niblet corn (fresh or frozen)
1/2 tbls parsley flakes
1 tsp course-ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method
In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt butter and saute' shallots several minutes or until translucent but not browned. Slowly whisk in flour, then add chicken bone broth or stock and mix until well blended.

Stir in cream, potatoes, corn, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and course-ground black pepper; cook until mixture reaches a low boil, just beginning to bubble up some, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook until potatoes are cooked through and softened; stir in crumbled bacon and cheese, and cook until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve immediately while piping hot.

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Taco Soup

This is a quick and easy soup you can easily put together and serve in no time at all. It relies on a few common pantry items, or some you put up yourself over the summer, and it's perfect for those cold fall or winter days.

What do you need to make Taco Soup?

• Ground Beef
• Beef Bone Broth or Stock
• Taco Seasoning
• Salsa
• Corn Kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Milk
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 cups (16 oz) beef bone broth or stock
1 lb. ground beef
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
2 cups salsa
2 cups milk
2 cups corn kernels
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 sliced jalapeno pepper
salt and course-ground black pepper, to taste

Method
In a large saucepan, brown ground beef; drain any grease and return beef to pan. Add next 4 ingredients and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and add cheese, sliced jalapeno, salt and black pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.

Taste soup and adjust seasonings to your taste. Simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring often. Serve hot with your choice of tortilla or corn chips.

Yield:  4 servings

Cooks note - recipe is easily doubled and freezes well.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Updated August 2020

To me nothing says comfort food like a piping hot bowl of soup. Delicious, slightly spicy and warming, this Chicken Enchilada Soup is comfort food in a bowl.

Easy to make, a little "feisty" with some herbs and spices, and simple ingredients found in most well-stocked kitchens.

RECIPE

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3 or 4 strips each, then cut into cubes
2 tbls. olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 onion, diced
1 - 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 - 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 - 14.5 oz. can niblet corn, drained
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cilantro or oregano
shredded cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top
*optional - diced bell peppers, black beans

Method
Place oil in a large saucepan; add onion and saute' over med-high heat until onion is getting soft. Add cubed chicken and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through.

Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Serve while hot with shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Tortilla Chips - make your own with a flour tortilla. Brush some olive oil onto the tortilla, and cut the tortilla in half and each half into half again. Cut each quarter into triangle strips. Place strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake in a 325 degree oven 8 minutes or until crispy. Serve tortilla chips with the soup.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

Shepherd's Pie

Updated April 2020

This recipe for Shepherd's Pie began many moons ago when my children were young. It's a great little casserole, meant to fill tummy's and make people smile. 

It's down home, yummy, comfort food at its finest, and takes little to prep and bake. Of course, over the years it's become a bit more "sophisticated" adding Parmesan cheese to the mashed potatoes, but you could also add shredded cheddar or any other favorite cheese.  

We always made it with corn, but you could also make it with mixed vegetables, peas and carrots or others for variety.  It's a weeknight favorite in our house to this day.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1.5 lbs. ground beef 
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
Cream of Mushroom Soup 
1 pkg dry beef or au jus gravy

2 cups corn (fresh or frozen - if using canned corn, drain liquid)
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 cups potatoes, cooked, drained and mashed
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk (or more for desired consistency; mashed potatoes should be somewhat stiff)
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, brown ground beef; drain fat. To the ground beef, add garlic powder, dried minced onion, sea salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, dry beef or au jus gravy, and cream of mushroom soup. Stir well to combine and pour into 9 x 9 - inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. 

Mash potatoes with butter, milk and sour cream. Sprinkle corn on top of ground beef mixture, evenly distributing, and top with mashed potatoes, spreading to cover all. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese (or shredded cheddar cheese if desired). 

Bake uncovered 35-45 minutes or until edges are bubbly and potatoes are slightly browned. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Yield:  4 large or 6 small servings

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Chicken Enchilda Soup for Canning

Updated August 2020

My foodie friend, Alice, of Ally's Kitchen made this awesome Chicken Enchilada Soup she shared the other day, so I decided to make a version of it I could can!  Once done, all you'll need to do when ready to use it, is add the black beans, diced peppers and cilantro, and cook through about 15 minutes. Quick, easy and convenient, stores on your pantry shelf until you are ready to serve it.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 chicken tenders 
Sea Salt/Coarse Ground Pepper to taste
1 small onion diced
4 tbsp minced garlic
1 packaged white chili chicken seasoning (or make your own: 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. seasoning salt, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed into powdered form)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried chipotle chile
4 cups chicken broth
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced roasted tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn

Add to canned soup when heating to serve:
1 can black beans
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
1/3 cup diced red/orange bell peppers
½ cup roughly cut cilantro (optional)

Method
In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken tenders. Pan sear about 3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook about 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove the tenders to a cutting board and chop or cube chicken into bite size pieces.

Using the same skillet on medium heat, sauté onions and garlic about 3-5 minutes. Add chopped chicken, white chili seasoning mix, cumin and chipotle chile and cook about 5 minutes.

Add chicken broth and tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook about 20 minutes.  Add corn and let simmer about 20 minutes.  Add additional sea salt and pepper to taste.

Strain soup through a mesh strainer, over a large bowl.  Scoop chicken, corn, tomatoes, etc. from mesh strainer evenly into 5 pint canning jars (so that each jar has equal amounts of solids filling the jars 1/2 full with solids). Top each jar with soup liquid in bowl, leaving 1" head space.

Cover jars with seals and rings and pressure can pints 1 hour and 15 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure adjusting for altitude.

**When ready to use, add black beans, diced peppers and cilantro and heat through about 15 minutes, or until soup is hot and peppers are getting soft.

You may also like:
Italian Chicken Soup

Yield: 5 pint jars

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Tex/Mex Hamburger Casserole

I love all kinds of casseroles. They are quick, easy to put together, and make a fast meal for a weeknight dinner.  This recipe takes less than 45 minutes to make from start to finish.

Ingredients
1 package Spanish Rice mix (I used Mahatma's)
1 lb. hamburger meat
1 small onion, diced
2 cups fresh corn (or use canned or frozen)
3-4 jalapeno slices (fresh or from a jar)
1/2 cup salsa (make your own)
1/2 cup taco sauce
1 Tbls. chili powder (or to taste)
1-2 tsp. cumin (or to taste)
1 cup 4 or 5 cheese Mexican cheese blend

Method
Cook rice according to directions; set aside.  Brown ground beef in a fry pan, mix in onion and cook a few minutes or until onion is just becoming soft.  Remove from heat and stir in jalapeno slices, salsa, taco sauce, corn, chili powder and cumin.  In a large bowl, mix Spanish rice and beef mixture together; pour into casserole dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Sprinkle top with cheese and bake, covered 20 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.  Remove top and continue baking 5-10 more minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is lightly browned.  Serve immediately.

Yield:  4-6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

Fresh Corn Salsa

I really love summertime when fresh produce from a local farm or farmer's market is readily available.  We grow some veggies in our small Kitchen Garden, but we don't grow corn.  I usually always buy corn at the Kershaw County Farmer's Market, but this year I was searching for non-GMO corn, organically grown ... and, oh my goodness, do you know how hard it is to find?  Nearly impossible, except for a very few small, local farms.  Luckily some of them do exist, so I was able to take a dozen ears and make this great Corn Salsa.

Ingredients
4-5 cups corn (about 12 ears, shucked)*
3 cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cumin, ground
1 tablespoon salt
5 pounds tomatoes, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped*

Method
Bring a large nonreactive stockpot of water to a boil. Add corn and boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
When corn is cool enough to handle, stand cobs on end and slice to cut off kernels, being careful not to cut into cobs. Empty and wipe out stockpot. Combine vinegar, sugar, cumin and salt in the stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, jalapeños, bell pepper, onion, garlic and corn kernels, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir in cilantro (or 2 Tbls. oregano) and return to a boil. Remove from heat.

Preserve
Use the boiling-water method. Ladle into clean, hot half-pint or pint canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Release trapped air by stirring contents with a plastic knife. Wipe rims clean; center lids on jars and screw on jar bands. Process in canner for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars rest in water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

*Note - Fresh corn is best, but you could use canned or frozen corn if desired. I used 2 Tbls. oregano instead of the cilantro because I have some family members and friends who don't like cilantro.

Yield: 8 pints

For more canning recipes, read the original article, "Put 'Em Up! Easy Home Canning Recipes."

Enjoy,
Mary

Shepard's Pie

My family loves Shepard's Pie, and we have served it many times through the years for a quick weeknight supper. 

I stopped using "cream of" soups and instead use beef bone broth with the ground beef to thicken it. So creamy and delicious, way better this way, and if you make your own beef bone broth, you control the ingredients.

Of course, you can also make your own condensed cream of mushroom soup, and that's equally delicious. If you opt to do that, omit the flour in the recipe below.

Recipe
Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground beef
Mashed potatoes (enough to cover casserole)
2 cups corn (canned, fresh or frozen)
2 cups beef bone broth (or homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup)
1/3-1/2 cup flour (if using soup, omit flour)
1 tbls. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Method
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, stir in flour and add bone broth,Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Cook and mash potatoes, stirring in one (1) cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Place ground beef mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top beef mixture with corn, then top corn layer with mashed potatoes, spreading mashed potatoes over entire top of casserole. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake in oven 35-45 minutes or until bubbly.  Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Cheesy Salsa Corn Muffins

Love these tender, spicy little muffins!  So easy to make and tastes great with just about anything!

Ingredients
1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa (any brand you like, I use homemade)
1 egg
¼  cup vegetable oil
¾ cup butter milk (make your own:  add 2-3 tsp. lemon or lime juice to milk) ¼ cup sugar
1 ½  cups flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
½  teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon salt
½ cup frozen or fresh whole kernel corn
¼  cup chopped red bell peppers (optional)
1 small jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
½ cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Method
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together egg, salsa, vegetable oil and buttermilk. Set Aside. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture. Do not over-mix. Add corn, bell peppers, jalapeno, and cheese. Stir until just combined, but no more. Bake in greased muffin tins, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy,

Mary

Nanny Walt's Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels

Having it's roots in Amish Country (Lancaster, PA), where my husband spent many summers during his boyhood, he has such fond memories of this soup his great-grandmother, "Nanny Walt," used to make. Considered by many to be very "frugal," it uses the abundance of fresh sweet corn farmed in the summer, a roasting chicken, some hard boiled eggs, and "rivels," proving to be a simple, satisfying meal feeding many. Rivels are a soft flour and egg mixture blended together then run between your hands quickly over the boiling soup, dropping into the soup to form little dough balls (not dumplings).

After her passing, many tried to make "her" soup and just couldn't quite replicate it.  It's always "close" or "that smells right" but never exactly right.  Over the years I've tried a few times to make it, and have had some successes and failures!  There are many variations out there, including some adding diced carrots, but the closest I can come to what he remembers, which is a plain chicken soup with corn and rivels, is a recipe by Jeff Smith in "The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American" cookbook.  Although, it's still not quite right, the smells he remembers are there and the taste is awesome ... one of the best comfort foods I know.

RECIPE
Ingredients
4 - 5 lb. roaster chicken (or you can use chicken pieces, i.e. legs, breasts, thighs)
1 medium onion, minced
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped small
4 quarts (16 cups) water (if you use chicken pieces, you might want to strengthen the broth by using chicken stock) (I always add some chicken stock)
6 or 8 ears of fresh corn, cut from the cobs (you may substitute canned or frozen corn, about 6+ cups worth)
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped into medium size pieces (I serve the chopped, hard-boiled eggs on the side and let people add their own)
a handful of chopped parsley (I use parsley leaves in the spice jar)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Method
In a large soup pot, combine the onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, chicken, and cold water (or stock). Bring to simmer over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the chicken is done and ready to fall off the bones ... this will take an hour or more. 

Remove chicken and let cool. Cut the meat into pieces and reserve, discarding the bones. You may skim the fat off the stock if you wish. (You could do this step ahead, keeping the broth and chicken in the refrigerator until ready to finish the soup).When ready to finalize the soup, add the corn kernels, reserved chicken pieces, hard boiled eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let cook for 10 minutes.

FOR THE RIVELS: Wait until the soup is done to prepare this dough. Then, in a bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 beaten eggs, blending until the mixture is crumbly (NOT SMOOTH).
Make up the rivel dough at this point and add to the soup by rubbing the mixture between your hands over the pot of soup, dropping in small amounts bit  by bit. They should not be big. Some people make them about the size of a pea. I like mine slightly larger. You can substitute a small amount of cooked pasta for the rivels, if desired.  Simply cook pasta according to package directions and add to soup at the end of the cooking time, just before serving.


Enjoy!
Mary

Cheesy Potato Soup

Ohhhh I just love this soup!  Add ham if you want, and we have from time to time! It is oh so good, and just plain ole' comfort food!  So good you just have to have a bowl full!  Serve it in an Italian Bread Bowl for a fun meal!

Recipe

Ingredients
1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 cups niblet corn (optional)

½ cup chopped onion
1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
32 oz. chicken broth (make your own)
1 cup water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 bag (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (or diced ham pieces)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
Garlic salt and course-ground black pepper, to taste

Method

In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.

*Note - Southern-style hash brown potatoes are diced instead of shredded. These work best in this recipe.  I served this with more cheese on top and a hot, crusty bread, or in Italian Bread Bowls.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Sheperd's Pie

Sheperd's Pie is a simple comfort food that hits the spot every time!

Brown 1.5 lbs. ground beef, add some garlic powder and course-ground black pepper to taste. Spread on the bottom of baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Top cooked ground beef with canned (drained) or frozen corn.

Top corn with mashed potatoes sprinkled with some shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake 350 oven for 45 minutes!  Let sit 10 minutes out of oven before cutting.

Delish!

Canning Corn

Updated July 2019

I almost always get great deals on fresh corn from some of the wonderful farmers at my local farmers markets.

During the growing season, you will find me there most Friday's and Saturday's buying all kinds of fresh veggies and produce. My family and I have a favorite Bi-Color Corn we love, so that's what I was after one summer day.

Ok, so let's get started. First, you will need to shuck your corn and remove all the silk. Blanch cobs in boiling water 2 minutes, and immediately plunge into an ice bath (fill your sink with ice and a bit of water).

Next, remove the kernels from cob. A sharp knife will work (do this over a bundt pan or tube pan and all the kernels will go into the pan and not all over your counter top).

This year's revelation! Use an electric knife to cut the kernels off the cob. It's a total #gamechanger and makes it go so much faster.

You may also like:
Roasted Corn Salad
Potato, Corn and Bacon Chowder

RECIPE
ingredients
An average of 31½ pounds (in husk) of sweet corn is needed per canner load of 7 quarts or 14 pints; an average of 20 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 35 pounds and yields 6 to 11 quarts – an average of 4½ pounds per quart.
Salt (optional)

Method
Shuck your corn and remove all the silk. Blanch cobs in boiling water 2 minutes, and immediately plunge into an ice bath (fill your sink with ice and a bit of water).

Remove the kernels from cob. A sharp knife will work (do this over a bundt pan or tube pan and all the kernels will go into the pan and not all over your counter top, or use an electric knife - see video above).

Fill your jars with the corn kernels leaving 1-inch head-space, top with hot water and add 1/2 tsp salt per pint or 1 tsp salt per quart jar (if desired, salt is optional) maintaining 1-inch head-space.

Process pints 55 minutes and quarts 85 minutes in a pressure canner at 11 lbs. pressure.

See complete directions here from the National Center for Home Food Preservation: Corn

Now you're ready to eat some of summer's goodness year 'round! Store in your pantry for up to one year.

Cook's note - I find the texture of the canned corn stays the most like fresh using this process and tastes the closest to fresh. Use in any recipe calling for a can (pint) or 2 cups of corn.


Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.