Corn and Pepper Chowder

This is a hearty soup which goes down well on a damp, rainy day. Served with warm brie and Honey Crisp apple slices, makes a well balanced, heavenly meal which can be prepared in advance. Variations are available on allrecipes.com. Helpful hint when using allrecipes.com - read the user comments, they're frequently creative and can add a twist to make the dish more interesting.


Ingredients:


2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional if you're allergic)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 c. chicken broth
1 lb. red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 c. whole kernel corn
14 oz. kielbasa, halved and sliced (can substitute turkey sausage for a "lighter" option)
1 c. fat-free half and half


Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion, garlic, and bell peppers in butter until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in broth, potatoes, pepper and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. 
2. Stir in corn, kielbasa, and half & half into soup. Simmer 20 minutes more. 

Steve found this dish, although hearty, lacking "bite" and added red pepper flakes to pump it up a bit, so this is another option. Also, the original recipe calls for pureeing half the corn and adding it that way, we chose not to. In any event, it's a good base with many possible variations. Be creative and enjoy!