Easy Shrimp and Corn Chowder

 Missy Tippens

Hey, everyone! I know it's still hot in a lot of places like here in Georgia. However, last week, the humidity and temp were lower, and I felt as if I'd gotten an ever so slight hint of fall.

I also made chowder! 

Ingredients:

about 4 red/new potatoes, cubed (skins on)

1 pound of shrimp (peeled and deveined)

3 TBS flour

3 TBS butter

Seafood broth or Veggie broth (about 5 cups)

1 bag frozen corn (10-12 ounces) or fresh corn (cut off the cob)

2 cloves of fresh, chopped garlic (or used the jarred garlic like I usually do!)

Optional: chopped green onions (white part and a little of the green part)

Plain cream cheese (about 3 TBS)

Cook the garlic and green onions in the butter until softened. Add the flour to make a roux. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook a couple of minutes, stirring it (to cook out the raw flour taste). Then whisk in the broth. Once the flour is mixed in, add in the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. (This was something new to me, and it made it really good!)

Now add the potatoes. Cover to bring back to a boil. Then remove cover and reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Then at the end, add the shrimp and corn and simmer until shrimp are pink and opaque.

This turned out really good! My husband liked it better when we had it leftover with sliced links of smoked turkey sausage added. It made it a little heartier. However, I liked the lightness of it, even though it's creamy.

Now, the best part is to show off our new baby! My son and daughter-in-law got a puppy! I'm in love already.

In her toy basket. :)

Welcome to our world, Whitney! 💕

Tailgate Bonfire with Ranch Hand Chowder

Since moving to our family ranch in 2107, we've tried to do things that we didn't or couldn't do in the city. So when you're blessed with a nice post-Christmas day AND you happen to have a dozen or more people in your house, it's time to take mealtime outdoors and have a little fun.

There's a lake (okay, so it's really a cow pond, but we still call it a lake) about a hundred and fifty yards from our house. In recent months, Big Daddy has spent countless hours on his tractor, clearing brush piles, mowing and, generally, grooming the area around the lake. So when we took a walk down there just before Christmas, I told him it would make a great place for a tailgate party and bonfire. He already had the big brush pile and there was a wide open area for folks to gather. 

So, the Friday after Christmas, that's just what we did.

As sunset approached, we hauled chairs, a work table, a gas burner and food, down to the lake, along with a couple of tailgates.

Of course, it's not a party until somebody gets stuck in the mud.

The younger cousins played at the water's edge.

Until it was finally time to light the bonfire.

Even the smallest members of the family were mesmerized.

While others just wanted to eat.

Since it was cool, soup seemed both easy and logical for this event. So I made up a batch of Taco Soup (you can find that recipe here).

And some Ranch Hand Chowder.

Like Taco Soup, Ranch Hand Chowder is quick and easy to throw together. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup (one stick) butter (I prefer unsalted)
• 1 10 oz can condensed cream of potato soup (yep, good ol' Campbells or store equivalant)
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chicken flavored stock base (I used Better Than Bouillon)
• 1 lb breakfast sausage, browned
• 2 - 17 oz cans creamed corn
• ½ - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large Dutch oven. Add onion and peppers and sauté over medium-high heat until tender.

Add remaining ingredients, except cheese.

Stir to combine.

Now add your cheese.

Stir and simmer until melted.

That’s it! Hot and ready in no time at all.

Both soups were a hit, even with the hollow-legged teenage grandboys. We ate, we talked, roasted marshmallows for s'mores... Then capped it all off with fireworks over the lake. Sorry, I wasn't able to get a picture of those, but they sure were pretty. 

Now I'm thinking we might need to do it all over again for the Fourth of July. 

So how were your holidays? Calm or chaotic? Bustling or relaxed? And how's the new year treating you so far? Any big goals for 2019?

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

New England Chowder!!! (The White One....) ;)

I love chowders!  We've talked about that and we can do a whole cookbook section on chowders the way we go, but my pet peeve is going to a restaurant and they've THICKENED the New England Clam chowder to pasty-consistency....

I don't know why they do that, but this recipe is wonderful, delightful and just chock full of delicious clammy essence. (Kav is CRINGING right now.  Sorry, KAV!!!!!!  Hugs to you, my friend!!!!)

This is your gratuitous Ruthy-pic of the day.... We're selling this litter right now. Isn't he gorgeous?????

Okay, back to FOOD!!!!!

Basic Ingredients:

One large can chopped clams (I get mine at Sam's Club, or use several small cans)
1/2 Large onion or 1 whole smallish onion, chopped
4-6 stalks of celery, chopped  (not minced, but not huge, chunky pieces either)
6-8 potatoes, cut into small pieces
6 Tablespoons butter or Olive oil (most recipes call for butter but the olive oil works perfectly, too)
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Cups Chicken stock  (I use "chicken base" that I buy at Sam's. Follow directions and add to water for your chicken stock
2 cups Heavy Cream
2 cups Milk   (or can use one quart Half-n-half)
Black pepper, as desired

EASY-PEASY DIRECTIONS!

Melt butter or heat oil in large soup kettle
Add chopped celery and onion. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent and celery is soft. Add in flour, mix thoroughly.

Pour in broth and clams. Bring to boil. Add potatoes. Add pepper to taste. Cook until potatoes are done. Add cream and milk. Heat thoroughly.

Serve!

Yes, this will look thinner than your customary chowders you see in lots of places, but it's delicious. And I think more authentic, or that's just my bossy nature.

Yeah.  Probably that!