In Daunting Company

Just got home from a whirlwind shopping trip in anticipation of my cousin's wedding this weekend. Caroline needed dressy shoes. . . Mark needed a new dress shirt and tie. . .and I needed something to wear. I looked at a dress. . . but didn't like the only one I tried on. So, I opted for a new black/white/tan tunic that will go nicely with a pair of black wide-leg dressy pants. (They look like a skirt. . . so I'm good) I also got a new necklace to go with my tunic, and another new blouse (work clothes for me!)

Then, I stopped at Big Lots -- and stocked up on fall placemats, and a bunch of scrapbooking supplies. Sweet!

There was also time squeezed in for Chick-Fil-A. If you have never experienced a Chick-Fil-A sandwich, my friends, you just haven't lived. Those of you that enjoy sweet tea (ick) . . .I hear theirs is good. They have Diet Dr. Pepper -- so they're aces in my book.

There was my trip. It was quick, but fun. And best of all - productive!!

Now onto other things. My title, for one. . . .

While I was driving home (sitting in a drive thru at Sonic) my phone let me know that I'd received an email. Sure enough, it was from my sister/friend Beth in Canada. She encouraged me to go to her daughter Melinda's blog because there was something of interest there for me.

If you haven't clicked yet, here's the link.

That's right -- sweet, wonderful, naive Melinda referenced me as a recipe source with the likes of Martha Stewart and the Pioneer Woman. I was dumbfounded. . . .but very honored.

So, in Melinda's honor, I'm going to give the recipe for a soup that I "invented" last week. I didn't really invent it, I just adapted another recipe to suit my tastes -- and the leftovers I had in the freezer. If you make it, please enjoy it with my best wishes (gosh, now I sound like Paula Deen!)


Smoky Chicken Corn Chowder

You need:
Chicken (3 boneless/skinless breasts)
Bacon
Potatoes
Carrots
Red Pepper
Celery
Onion
Minced Garlic
Milk
Flour
Butter
Chicken Broth
Parsley
Cayenne Pepper
Nutmeg
Salt/Pepper

If you've got that stuff, you'll be fine!

1) Cut an entire pound of bacon into pieces. Then, fry it in a skillet. KEEP THE DRIPPINGS. Set bacon on a paper towel-lined plate to cool & drain.
2) Dice 1 onion (or so) 1 red pepper, and 3 stalks celery - saute them with 1 t. minced garlic in the bacon drippings. Pull them out when the onions are soft.
3) Cut your chicken breasts into small pieces. Fry them in the bacon drippings. Add more from your jar of reserved drippings (fridge) or add olive oil, if necessary. When the chicken is done, pull it from the skillet.
4) In a separate pan, make a roux from 2 T each butter & flour. Add 3 c. milk and make a white sauce. Add a pinch of nutmeg, cayenne, and salt & pepper to taste.
5) In your favorite soup cooker -- put onions/celery/peppers, 2 chopped carrots, and 3-4 peeled & diced potatoes. Cover them with 2 cans of chicken broth (or one box). Cook until veggies are soft.
6) Stir the white sauce into the vegetables.
7) Stir in the cooked chicken (which should have little "bacon bits" stuck to it from cooking in the bacon grease)
8) Add in the 2 cups (or so) of leftover corn you've been keeping in the freezer. Or, drain and add two cans of whole corn (or 2 cups of frozen bagged corn)
9) Add 1 T dried parsley and stir everything together. Allow it all to come together -- the longer it cooks and sits, the better.
10) If your soup is thin, you can add 1/3 c. instant potato flakes to thicken it up -- otherwise, let it cook with the lid OFF -- and the steam will escape and thicken the soup.

To serve, throw a handfull of the chopped bacon on top of the soup and enjoy.

I know it seems kinda haphazard -- but that's kinda how I cook!

I love you, Melinda!!!!