Corn Chowder is one of my favorite soups. It is just different enough from most soups and is a treat whenever I make it. The bacon and onion combination is delicious. The finished soup is silky smooth and so creamy you won’t believe it is made with fat-free milk and fat-free half & half. There is bacon in the soup but using the more lean, center-cut slices reduces the total fat content some. Also this is a generous pot of soup and in comparison, the amount of bacon is modest, but packs a lot of flavor in every bite. It is easy to make and calls for ingredients you more than likely have on hand. Whether it is cool outside, or lazy inside, this soups could be your new favorite soup!
6 cups plus 1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 1/2 cup fat-free or low-fat half & half
1 1/2 cup water or fat-free chicken stock
2-tablespoon olive oil
4 – 5 strips thick, center-cut bacon
1 cup diced onions
1-½ cup small-diced potatoes with peel
1 ½ cup frozen or fresh whole kernel corn
1 15-ounce can creamed corn
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon corn starch
Heat olive in a large pot on medium heat. Dice the bacon and cook until crispy. To the bacon and drippings in pan add onion and cook about 4 – 5 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently. Add the stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all the flavor bits. Add potatoes and milk. Cook 5 minutes on medium 
heat. Be sure to stir often to avoid scorching. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add all the corn and spices. Stir in the half & half. Continue to cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Be careful not to scorch the soup by very frequent stirring from the bottom of the pot. In a small bowl stir the corn starch into the quarter cup of milk and stir into the soup. Heat through to thicken. Garnish with a bit of dried parsley, carrot curls, a few bacon bits, and/or a drizzle of half & half.
Leave a Reply