Easy Chowder Recipes

Warm Chowders for Cool Days
by Rachel Paxton

Now that the days are getting cooler, a warm dinner really hits
the spot at the end of a long, hard day. These chowder recipes
are easy to prepare and sure to be a hit with your family.

Corn Chowder

5 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 c. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. water
1 can cream-style corn
2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
Pepper
Butter

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from
pan and set aside. Drain grease, leaving 3 tbsp. in the pan. Add
onion slices and cook until lightly browned. Add potatoes and
water and cook until potatoes are tender (10 to 15 minutes). Add
corn, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook until heated through. Top each
serving with bacon and butter.


Sausage Bean Chowder

2 lb. link sausage
2 cans (16 oz. each) kidney beans
1 can (1 lb. 13 oz.) tomatoes, broken up
1 qt. water
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. diced potatoes
1/2 green pepper, chopped

In a skillet, cook sausage until brown. Pour off fat. In large
kettle or crock pot combine kidney beans, tomatoes, water, onion,
bay leaf, salt, thyme, and pepper. Add sausage, simmer for at
least an hour. If using crock pot you may simmer all day. The
longer this soup cooks the better it is. Add potatoes and green
pepper. Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender. Remove bay
leaf.


Ham Chowder

4 large carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion
4 large potatoes
5 cups water
4 cups diced ham
2 tbsp. butter
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp. flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Garnish with paprika and chopped parsley

In a stock pot or soup kettle, cook carrots, celery, onion, and
potatoes in 5 cups water until tender (about 20 minutes). Add
ham, butter, salt, and pepper. Blend flour into milk until
smooth, stir into soup. (Warm milk in microwave before adding
flour). Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Turn heat
to low and allow to simmer, partially covered, 10-20 minutes to
develop flavor. Pour soup into bowls, sprinkle top with paprika
and chopped parsley.


Salmon Chowder

1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can salmon
3 tbsp. butter
1 c. onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped finely
1 c. broccoli, chopped finely
2 tsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and
broccoli and saute for about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and enough
water to barely cover the potatoes. Stir in salmon with juices.
Cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender (15 to 20 minutes).
Add cream of mushroom soup and Mrs. Dash and stir until soup is
well blended. Heat but do not boil.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of
What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick
easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips,
home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative
Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.