Dixie Caviar — Country chic cookin'

Bourbon-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

by Nealey on October 26, 2009

Bourbon sweet potatoes

Some, being me, might say sweet potatoes are the nectar of the gods. I love baking up a big one for dinner, sprinkling it with a little brown sugar, and finishing it off with a dallop of butter. Or sometimes I cut a few into chunky cubes and drizzle them with a little honey and a squeeze of lemon juice, and roast until they are tender and sweet. But my all-time favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is this delicious casserole found every year on my Thanksgiving table. Hey, never judge marshmallows AND corn-flakes in the same dish until you’ve tried them. (Man, I love being a Southerner!)

But sometimes, just sometimes, you need to serve something with a hint more elegance. Why not slice up these bright orange tubers, baste them in a butter, molasses, and brown sugar glaze, and pop them in the oven until they are perfectly caramelized and tender. And on a crisp fall afternoon, what better way to add a little Southern comfort than with a liberal splash of bourbon? Um, yes please.

I happened to make these beauties on a beautful SEC football Saturday. And while they would have been perfect paired with a crisp Thanksgiving turkey, I enjoyed them with a Zing Zang Bloody Mary and leftover stuffed crust pizza, ’cause that’s how I roll.

PS – the leftovers make a tasty addition to any breakfast table: just add bacon and creamy grits. I’ve done it twice already!

BOURBON-GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

Source: Bon Appetit, Y’all by Virginia Willis

4 to 6 sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter, plus more for the baking dish
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons sorghum, cane, or maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter an ovenproof gratin or casserole dish. Arrange the sweet potato slices in the prepared dish and season with salt and pepper.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, bourbon, and syrup and bring to a boil over medium high heat. As soon as the sauce starts boiling, pour it over the sweet potatoes. Bake the casserole, basting and turning the potatoes occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes 2

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Traditional Cornbread Dressing

by Nealey on October 19, 2009

Cornbread dressing

Last year was my first Thanksgiving away from home, so I took on the ambitious task of reproducing the entire Dozier family menu from scratch. Lots of preparations (lists, timelines, more lists) were in order, including a few long-distance conference calls with mom. I even delegated tasks! Okay, okay, I told the Burches to bring the booze. But that totally counts. (If you know me, you know I like complete control in the kitchen.)

The first order of business was homemade cornbread for the cornbread dressing. I mixed and stirred and poured, and into the oven it went. Next I set about prepping the rest of my dishes, including truffled potato gratin, sweet potato souffle, and green bean casserole. I glided around the kitchen, effortlessly (ha!) going about my business, when — oh, shit — I glanced at the clock and realized the cornbread had been in the oven for oh, say about an hour and a half. DAMN!! It was ashy, hard-as-a-rock, and completely inedible. As it thudded into the trash, I felt the onset of tears.

Oh, God, I thought. If the simplest of my dishes didn’t work, well then how is everything else going to turn out (insert new-found appreciation for mother here). I put in a 911 to the Burches. “Want to pick up some Stovetop?” Hey, you can’t have Thanksgiving without dressing, even if it is from a box. I’m pleased to announce the rest of the meal turned out a complete success, all the way down to the pumpkin bread pudding. And you know what, the Stovetop wasn’t half bad either. Delicious, actually.

Since Thanksgiving is, yet again, quickly approaching (why oh why is time passing so fast?), I thought I would give the dressing another go around. Who says dressing is just for holidays?

This recipe is about as Southern as they come, and it’s so very easy to make. I popped it in the oven early in the day, and then served it later for dinner with roast chicken and pan gravy. I thought it was pretty damn amazing. Walt digressed, declaring that I was “diluting” his Thanksgiving experience. Come again? Apparently, by cooking a delicious dressing in the middle of October, it just wasn’t going to be as good for him come Thanksgiving day. Poor guy — it must be tough having a girlfriend who feels the need to “practice” Thanksgiving recipes. Maybe next time I just won’t share.

CORNBREAD DRESSING

Source: Mama Dip’s Kitchen

1 stick butter
2 cups onion, finely chopped
2 cups celery, finely chopped
2 batches Sunday Cornbread, crumbled (see recipe below)
4 cups bread crumbs (from stale bread, or toasted slices)
4 – 5 cups chicken (or turkey) broth
1 tablespoon dried sage
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning (I used Magic Seasoning Blends)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt, to taste
3 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large pan, saute onion and celery in the butter until tender and translucent (approx. 8 – 10 minutes).

In a large bowl, add sauteed vegetables to cornbread, bread, seasonings, broth, and eggs. Spread evenly in a large casserole dish. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. SERVES 12

SUNDAY CORNBREAD

1 cup self-rising cornmeal (I use White Lily)
1/2 cup self-rising flour (I use White Lily)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, and sugar. In a seperate bowl, combine butter, buttermilk, and eggs. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Spread evenly into 8″ x 8″ baking pan (for double batch I used my cast-iron skillet) and bake for 25 minutes or until brown. SERVES 6

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Fiesta Breakfast Casserole, to feed a crowd

by Nealey on October 12, 2009

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Here on the West Coast we have the pleasure of watching college football at 9 AM. And while we try to be on our very best behavior the Friday night before (in order to actually make it out of bed) sometimes, just sometimes, the fire pit encourages a little bit of bad behavior. In case somebody happens to go a little overboard — not me, of course — I’m always there to greet them with a morning cocktail, i.e. the old hair of the dog. Irish Coffee (a.k.a. “Ire Coff’s”), Bloody Mary’s, and Mimosas are always in the pre-game lineup. But with all this booze before noon, I’ve gotta serve something to soak it all up with.

This sausage breakfast casserole is just the ticket. It’s easy, hearty, and stick-to-your ribs filling. And it can feed the army of vagabonds who pass in and out of our little Oxford house. When I was growing up, some variation of this casserole could often be found on our weekend table. My mother used to serve it whenever we had company, or if I invited a group of hungry teenage boys over (this one’s for you, Drew Clevenger). It has never failed to please.

The beauty of this casserole is that it is a blank canvas — if you don’t like sausage, use bacon; don’t eat meat? Fill it with veggies. Experiment with different breads and different flavor profiles: Mexican (black beans and salsa), Italian (tomatoes and mozzarella), French (lots of fresh herbs). The possibilities are endless!

SAUSAGE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Source: Nealey Dozier

1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 lbs. bulk sausage
1 (16 ounce) loaf Italian bread, cubed
1 (16 ounce) bag shredded cheese (Mexican blend or sharp cheddar)
6 eggs
2 cups half and half
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Sour cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook sausage, in two batches, in a large skillet over medium heat until well browned. Drain sausage and set aside. Saute onion and red bell pepper in the same skillet until tender. Stir sausage and vegetables together in large bowl, season generously with salt, black pepper, and cayenne, to taste.

Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Spread cubed bread evenly in dish. Cover with sausage mixture and then cheese. In bowl, blend half and half and eggs. Pour over bread mixture. Allow to sit for 45 minutes to an hour, or overnight. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown. YIELDS: A LOT

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, and the perfect roux!

by Nealey on October 7, 2009

Trinity

Week two of culinary school was all about thickeners: slurries, starches, and liasons to name a few. And while these are all well and good, in Southern cooking it’s all about the roux. And I’m not talking prim and proper blonde roux ala France. I’m talking coffee-dipped, Hershey-dunked, deep brooding brunette! (Whoever said blondes have more fun was a fool if you ask me…)

Now, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, and definitely don’t be scared to make a roux: if I can do it, you can do it. Go grab yourself some vegetable oil (peanut or canola will do), and some all -purpose flour. Don’t use butter here, it will burn. Now heat the oil over medium heat, add the flour, then stir stir stir. It’s that simple! The only trick is to just keep it moving. Don’t let that roux out of your sight, or it’s a goner for sure. Check the heat from the burner every now and again, trust your instincts, and in the words of my culinary instructor, “be brave!”.

Now go make this gumbo for a tailgate party, a Sunday supper, or just because. Just don’t tell my sweet Walt how good it was, ’cause he missed out on this one.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO

Source: Nealey Dozier

1 whole fryer chicken (about 4 lbs)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 green bell pepper, chopped (or 1/2 red pepper, 1/2 green pepper)
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
6 cups chicken broth
12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4″ pieces
2 cups okra
2 bay leaves
salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper
Hot sauce, to taste (I prefer Frank’s)
Cooked white rice

Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Salt lightly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook approximately 1 hour, turning occasionally, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and allow to cool, reserving broth. Shred once cool.

To make roux, heat oil at medium heat for approx. 2 minutes. Add flour. Stir constantly until desired consistency is reached (my roux took approx. 40 minutes to reach the deep brown you see in the picture below). Add green bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic to roux and saute until tender, approx. 5 minutes (add a few tablespoons of broth if it seems too thick). Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Add shredded chicken, sausage, okra and bay leaves. Simmer for 15 minutes, or longer. Season liberally with salt, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce. Tastes even better the next day.

Serve with hot white rice. YIELDS: 10 – 12 servings

PS – Don’t forget to pour yourself an icy-cold glass of water to drink, because it’s gonna get hot in your kitchen. Or just don’t choose to make this on the hottest day of fall. Yes, I said fall. It’s still damn hot out here in Southern California.

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First Assignment: Carrot Bread

by Nealey on September 21, 2009

Carrot bread You see, I’m in my first week of culinary school, and a world of deliciousness awaits me. My first assignment this past Sunday was to become the master of my Wustoff, a.k.a. knife skills 101.

I chopped my way through the small dice, and dominated a julienne, and as a result was left with quite the pile of assorted veggies. Christine (my partner-in-kitchen-crime), over at Literary Appetite, solved the potato problem. The carrot situation however, was a little more daunting. You see, Walt despises cooked carrots. And I’m not too fond of them myself. Hmmm…what to make, what to make. Hey I know, if you can put zucchini in bread, then why not carrots?

This recipe may well be the easiest recipe I’ve ever seen. Step 1 — Mince (or grate) the carrots into oblivion. Step 2 – throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Step 3 – bake and enjoy.

Hey, whoever said you can’t have your cake and veggies, too?

CARROT BREAD

Source: Talk About Good, Junior League of Lafayette, MS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
2 eggs
2/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup grated carrots
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in loaf pan for 1 hour (test after 45 minutes).

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Spinach and Artichoke Casserole

by Nealey on September 14, 2009

spinach and artichoke casserole 2

It’s September, which means casserole season is upon us! School is back in session, the days are getting shorter, and the list of things to do is getting longer. You need supper on the table, and fast. Here’s a delicious spinach and artichoke casserole to warm up your chilly nights. Great as a side dish, or as a hearty lunch with some crusty bread.

Sadly, I decided to make this on a warm Venice afternoon (it may be fall, but our SoCal temperatures aren’t dropping). The heat of the oven about damn killed me! Perhaps you will be fortunate enough to enjoy it on a brisk SEC game-day. I’m only slightly jealous…okay, very jealous.

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

Source: Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialties by Julia Reed

1 tablespoon butter for greasing baking dish, 1/2 cup butter, melted, for casserole, plus 1 tablespoon, melted, for topping
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup coarse Ritz cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.

Cook the spinach according to the package directions, drain well and place in a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of melted butter, the cream cheese and lemon juice and blend well with a fork.

Scatter the artichoke quarters evenly over the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Cover with the spinach mixture and smooth the top.

Cover the top with the Ritz crumbs, drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter and bake on the middle rack until bubbly in the center and lightly browned on the top, about 25 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

spinach and artichoke 3

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The ghost of Labor Days’ past (and ribs!)

by Nealey on September 10, 2009

Warning: must be over 21 and under 30 to read this post!

Ribs

So a parent has relinquished control of the family lake house (Lord help them) to you and your college buddies for Labor Day weekend. Now what? Here’s a sample itinerary to help get the party started. Feel free to print and check off items as necessary. Let the games begin!

Friday 9 AM – Preparations need to be made. Liquor store. check. Grocery store. check. Gas station. check. Do you have the following: chips, salsa, chips, salsa. Oh wait, did I mention chips and salsa? Nah, I’m just kidding. Make sure somebody brings hamburger meat and buns, too.

Friday 3 PM - Head to Chimney Rock in the family pontoon. Grab a diaper and hit the water. No, not that kind of diaper, silly; one made out of a life jacket. Click here for an example. Now have someone throw you a beer, preferably Budlight in a can but a Miller will do. Don’t worry, it’ll float if you can’t catch.

Friday 5 PM – All that bobbing has probably made you hungry. Head back to dry land, but try to stay between the buoys and watch out for the ducks. If you see a group of guys huddling around a Weber, that’s a good sign. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Err, I mean burgers. Don’t forget to admire how cute the boys all look with their tongs and pokers. What can I say, I love a man who can grill (Hi Walter!).

Friday 7 PM – Get ready for some real fun. Pour a little Jack into that Coke and announce a game of charades. It’s a no fail way to have a good time. A little background music doesn’t hurt either (RIP Michael Jackson).

Friday 10 PM – If the PG activities aren’t cutting it (or your friends are to cooool for board games), then give ‘em a little David Byrne to really get the party started. You’ll thank me later. Just don’t turn into a psycho killer and burn down the house. Hee hee.

Friday Midnight - Whoopsy! Don’t fall down. Maybe you should find a couch to lay your head. Or better yet, a lounge chair, or perhaps a float. Just don’t wind up in the bathtub like last year. Not cool.

Saturday 12 PM – Uh oh. You don’t look too good. Need a hangover cure? Perhaps a little sweet tea (not the Firefly kind, you lush) and a Bojangles chicken biscuit to soothe your aching head. Works for me.

Saturday 12:01 PM – Look, it’s 12:01! Feel free to pour yourself a bloody.

Saturday 3 PM – Repeat.

Okay, okay. This exact experience may or may not have happened to me once or twice (I’ll never tell). That’s why its called The ghost of Labor Days’ past. Get it?

But just so you know, I’ve calmed down a bit since freshman/sophomore/ junior year. Now my idea of a good Labor Day is a beach cruise on Penny J. Shuttlesworth (the most beautiful bike in all the land) and couch time with Walt and Goose. Wild, I know.

And hey, along with this new found maturity is better grub. No chips and salsa here! Just some slow-roasted barbecue ribs, homemade potato salad, and baked beans to die for. Who knew growing up would taste this good?

OVEN-BAKED BARBECUE RIBS

3 – 4 pounds beef back ribs

For the marinade:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onionpowder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika

Preheat oven to 260 degrees.

Place ribs in a large baking dish (break up if necessary). Combine all ingredients together to make marinade, mixing well. Brush over both sides of the ribs, cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap and cook ribs — meatiest side up — in oven for one hour. After one hour flip ribs and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce (see recipe below).

After the 30 minutes, remove ribs from oven and apply barbecue sauce on the bony side. Flip ribs to meaty side up (do not sauce this side yet). Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook ribs for 15 more minutes. After 15 minutes, apply first layer of barbecue sauce to meaty side. Cook ribs for another 15 minutes and reapply sauce to meaty side. Cook another 15 minutes, then check internal temperature of ribs. If ribs are at 150 degrees or above, remove from oven. If not yet at 150 degrees, continue cooking until desired temperature is reached. (Total cook time average is 2 hours and 15 minutes). Sauce again, if desired. YIELDS: 4-5 servings.

For the barbecue sauce:

1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar, to taste
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste

Heat all ingredients in a medium sauce pan at medium-low heat, approximately 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Ribs 2

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Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

by Nealey on September 3, 2009

Lemon Meringue 1

I originally set out to make a most delicious peanut butter pie. And oh how excited I was about it, too. Gooey, chewy, creamy peanut butter pie. Mmmm… But somehow all of the confectioner’s sugar mysteriously disappeared from the pantry, gone without a trace. Seems to happen quite frequently here at the Oxford Suites. (I’m looking at you, Goose)

So what to do when you already have homemade pie dough resting in the fridge and you’re too lazy to go to the grocery store? You go pick the last remaining Meyer lemons from the lone little tree out back, zest and juice them, and cook them into a tangy-sweet-sour lemon meringue pie. It’s what they were born to do (well that, and Meyer vodka lemonades)!

This recipe is good for all of you condensed milk haters; nothing here but pure lemon flavor. Too bad my taste testers informed me they didn’t like lemon meringue until after the pie went into the oven. Oh well, more for me!

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Source: My Mother’s Southern Kitchen, by James Villas

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons butter
One 9-inch pie shell, prebaked

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, and the salt and mix until well blended. Gradually add the boiling water, stirring constantly and cook over moderate heat until the mixture thickens, stirring. Add the lemon peel and juice and stir.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks, add a small amount of the lemon mixture stirring constantly, and pour the egg mixture into the lemon mixture. Add the butter and continue cooking until the mixture is very thick, stirring, then pour into the baked pie shell.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer till thickened, then gradually add the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar and beat till stiff peaks form. With a spatula, cover the pie with the meringue, making sure to seal all of the edges. With a spoon, make a few peaks in the meringue, bake just till the top has browned slightly, and cool the pie before serving. Yields 6 servings.

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The 7 Rules of the Italian (and Southern) Kitchen

by Nealey on August 31, 2009

First and foremost, I apologize for the brief lull in activity for the past couple of weeks. Between a wedding weekend in Santa Barbara, a 26th birthday, and a weekend trip to San Francisco for the Outsidelands music festival, I have been one busy girl. Needless to say, I’ve been eating (but not so much cooking) up a storm.

With football season upon us, however, that’s about to change. I’ve got some incredible recipes waiting in the wings, just ready to help you celebrate the South’s favorite pastime. So keep coming back here for some guaranteed-to-be-a-hit game day grub!

Until then, here are The 7 Rules of the Italian Kitchen, featured in this month’s Bon Appetit. I feel these points apply just as strongly to the Southern kitchen (in mine, atleast), so I thought I would share them with you here.

1. PAY ATTENTION – What foods grow where you live? When are they in season? In Italy, the kind of cooking that chooses the local over the exotics is faithful to the seasons and wastes nothing.

2. LOVE THE LEFTOVERS – Today’s sauteed mushrooms are the beginnings of tomorrow’s mushroom risotto. Just about anything can live happily in a frittata. And (of course) don’t forget all of the things you can do with a pot of beans.

3. KEEP IT SIMPLE – Let the ingredients speak for themselves. Italians tend to be wary of overly complicated cooking. Almost any fresh seasonal vegetable — sauteed in olive oil with a bit of garlic — makes a delicious pasta sauce. If you really want to get fancy, sprinkle in a handful of basil leaves or some grated parmesan. But you don’t even have to.

4. TASTE AND SAVOR – Italians love to talk about food (and never, by the way, about business) while they’re eating. “Other great meals I have eaten” is a favorite topic of mealtime conversation. Granted, this is a bit like craving ice cream while your eating some, but at least they’re treating their time at the table as the joyful activity it is. While you’re talking, don’t forget to savor what’s on your plate.

5. COOK CREATIVELY – There is comfort in working with the most humble ingredients and pleasure in being resourceful with whatever is at hand. What can you do with the half loaf of rock-hard bread? Find a couple of tomatoes and a handful of basil and turn them into a Tuscan pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup).

6. GROW SOMETHING – Give an Italian a few square feet of fertile soil and he or she is more likely to plant some tomatoes plants than a patch of lawn. If you have no garden of your own, look into community gardens, or put a few small terra-cotta pots in a sunny window and fill them with herbs.

7. PRACTICE GENEROSITY – Now, more than ever, we need to eat together. Whatever there is to eat, it’s enough to go around. We come together at the table not because of what we do have, but despite what we don’t.

Do you follow the same rules in your kitchen? I would love to hear your examples!

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Summer Corn Chowder

by Nealey on August 17, 2009

Summer Corn Chowder 3

White corn, yellow corn, sweet corn — it’s ALL delicious. And we’ve been enjoying lots of it this summer, in all forms: on the cob (for Walt), off the cob (for me), in pudding (for everyone). We’ve made it California-style (raw), Southern-style (fried), and we’ve even crossed the border (slather corn with a tangy mayo-sour cream-lime combo for authentic south of the Oaxacan-style street food. Yum!).

Now is definitely the time to get your fill of this sweet and starchy veggie, as fresh as possible, straight from the farm. Grocery store just doesn’t hold a candle to what you will find at the farmers’ market, and buying corn in the winter months (unless frozen) just won’t do.

Here’s a corn chowder recipe for a rainy summer afternoon, when you need a little stick-to-your-ribs comfort. It’s also very adaptable to your taste: use all milk if you want to keep it light, add some cream if you dare. If you don’t want to use bacon in the recipe, omit it and saute the onions in a couple of tablespoons of butter or olive oil. Either way, this soup will make you want to curl up on the couch with a good movie, or cuddle up with someone you love.

SUMMER CORN CHOWDER

Source: Nealey Dozier

4 slices bacon, sliced into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups fresh corn, cut off the cob (approx. 4-5 ears corn)
3 tablespoons flour
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth, divided
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
3-4 medium potatoes

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil in a large dutch oven. Cut potatoes into small cubes. Add boiling water and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.

Meanwhile, saute bacon in a skillet until crisp and crumbly. Set bacon aside and reserve 2-3 tablespoons of drippings. Once bacon has cooled, crumble into small pieces.

In same large dutch oven used for potatoes, saute onions in bacon drippings until translucent. Add corn and cook until it becomes more tender, approximately 10 – 15 minutes. Add flour and stir until well-coated. Stir in cream, milk, and 1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth. Season with salt and cayenne pepper, to taste. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Pour remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth into potatoes. Using a potato masher, smash a few times, leaving some of the potatoes whole. Add potatoes to corn mixture and re-season with salt and cayenne pepper, to taste.

Garnish with bacon crumbles and serve with a drizzle of sour cream (optional)

Summer Corn Chowder