Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Cooking from the pantry

The weather is cool, cloudy and drizzly and soup sounded really good.  But the heavy soups of winter weren't appealing and  I did not want to make a trip to the store for anything (since I am still in shock over the price of the new curtains to replace the small mishap from washing and drying the panels from the dining room when they said dry clean only).  I started with a corn and crab chowder from Rachael Ray then adapted it to what we had on hand.
                    
                          Corn and Crab Chowder
Serving Size  : 4    

  1         tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
  4             ounces  bacon -- minced (3 slices)
  2               cups  Potatoes O'Brien -- frozen
  3         small ribs  celery -- chopped (3 to 4)
  1                cup  onion -- chopped
  1         Tablespoon  garlic -- minced (2 cloves)(I used Easy Garlic already minced in oil in a jar)
  1           teaspoon  dried thyme
  1           teaspoon  Old Bay Seafood seasoning -- Generous
  2          teaspoons  chicken bouillon granules -- Tone's chicken base
  2               cups  water
  2               cups  2% milk
  3        tablespoons  butter
  1 1/2           cups  creamed corn
  3        tablespoons  flour
  6             ounces  crab meat -- 1 can undrained
     1/4      teaspoon  cayenne

Render the bacon in olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add  the onions, celery and garlic - sweat vegetables.  Add the thyme and the Old Bay, stirring to release the flavors.  Then add the frozen potatoes, chicken base and water (or stock) and cayenne.  Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes. 
Add the milk and the crab meat with the juices.  Season with cayenne.  Cover and simmer again for 20 minutes.
Blend the butter with the flour and blend into the hot liquid.  Bring to a soft boil to complete thickening the chowder and serve.
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 568 Calories; 29g Fat (46.3% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 90mg Cholesterol; 1261mg Sodium. 

This was delicious and rich without being heavy.  I made a loaf of pumpernickel bread to go with it.

The window panels shrunk so evenly it was undetectable until I hung them.  Then they looked like flood pants.

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