Crockpot comfort!
Of course I found this though LJ spotlight, and it seems to be the community I've been looking for! I'm incredibly interested in crockpot cooking, even though, I actually don't use my slow cooker as often as I thought I would. But there is one recipe I nearly always cook in the crockpot that I've been tweaking slowly since I started making it, and that is chipotle corn chowder.
This recipe could easily be adapted to be vegetarian, although we do often put bacon in it. But it really is delicious, easy and great for these winter evenings. It's pretty healthy for you--as far as chowders go, because I make it with skim milk, and just a touch cream, although next time I make it, we're omitting the cream from the recipe and garnishing it with fat free sour cream.
I don't measure, so I'll just let you know what I do
I cook a few slices of bacon, (4-6 depending on the size) and while it is cooking I chop up: 1-2 medium potatoes, a large carrot or two medium ones, a red bell pepper, half a red onion, and 1-2 canned chipolte peppers in adobo sauce. Then I sautee that in a little butter or olive oil (I guess you could use the bacon drippings as well, but I don't like the little burned pieces in my food, sooo, your choice).
When those are just starting to get tender throw a chopped clove or two of garlic in. Put that in a few minutes after you've started sauteeing the other vegetables to keep it from burning. And then when they are just starting to get crisp-tender, take them off the heat. Crumble the bacon, add it to the vegetables and throw it all in the crock pot. Then I just add a bag of frozen corn, some milk (I use skim, but you could use whole for a creamier, although high fat consistancy) and a dash of cream. And then cook it for a few hours. If it's not thick enough for you, you can melt some butter in a pan, and add some flour, then add it to the soup. We've had good luck just simmering it on the stove top, but it really is pretty simple and delicious to make. And it's very filling.
Enjoy. I'd love to hear about any changes you would do, as this is a recipe in progress in my kitchen.
This recipe could easily be adapted to be vegetarian, although we do often put bacon in it. But it really is delicious, easy and great for these winter evenings. It's pretty healthy for you--as far as chowders go, because I make it with skim milk, and just a touch cream, although next time I make it, we're omitting the cream from the recipe and garnishing it with fat free sour cream.
I don't measure, so I'll just let you know what I do
I cook a few slices of bacon, (4-6 depending on the size) and while it is cooking I chop up: 1-2 medium potatoes, a large carrot or two medium ones, a red bell pepper, half a red onion, and 1-2 canned chipolte peppers in adobo sauce. Then I sautee that in a little butter or olive oil (I guess you could use the bacon drippings as well, but I don't like the little burned pieces in my food, sooo, your choice).
When those are just starting to get tender throw a chopped clove or two of garlic in. Put that in a few minutes after you've started sauteeing the other vegetables to keep it from burning. And then when they are just starting to get crisp-tender, take them off the heat. Crumble the bacon, add it to the vegetables and throw it all in the crock pot. Then I just add a bag of frozen corn, some milk (I use skim, but you could use whole for a creamier, although high fat consistancy) and a dash of cream. And then cook it for a few hours. If it's not thick enough for you, you can melt some butter in a pan, and add some flour, then add it to the soup. We've had good luck just simmering it on the stove top, but it really is pretty simple and delicious to make. And it's very filling.
Enjoy. I'd love to hear about any changes you would do, as this is a recipe in progress in my kitchen.