Apr. 18: Have a slice of soup

I just have to brag on myself a little, mmkay? Because I make a kick-ass potato corn chowder. I made a kettle last night and am currently eating my fourth bowl since it was deemed ready. And it is dee. Lish. Us.

You’re probably not interested, but here’s my general recipe. Specific amounts are totally up to you.

1. Chop up potatoes, or if you’re lazy, use frozen southern-style hash browns. Boil them in a big ol’ pot of chicken broth.
   
2. Add fresh or frozen corn.
   
3. Add diced green chiles. I like lots.
   
4. Add black pepper. Throw in some red pepper, too, if you like it.
   
5. Let all this stuff continue to boil for a while. When the potatoes have softened a bit, use a masher to smash some. This will make the chowder thicker and creamier. Turn down the heat to let it simmer after this.
   
6. Slice a block or two of cream cheese (I actually use Neufchatel) and melt it to a liquid in a separate pan. Add this to the chowder and stir until it’s completely blended in. If there are lumps, break them up. The cream cheese adds a lot of flavor and makes the chowder very creamy without the calories you’d get using heavy cream.
   
7. The longer you let the chowder simmer after you’ve added the cream cheese, the more “skin” you’ll get on the edges. If you like this, let it go for a while. Otherwise, serve it up. Add grated sharp cheddar to the individual servings for more color, texture, and yumminess.

When this chowder is cold, you can practically slice it. That means it’s gooooood. Trust me.