Bacon, Pepper Flakes and Corn. Simple and ohh so savory.

Don’t be scared of the words “bacon” and “chowder.” This chowder is really more of a soup and with 2% milk instead of heavy cream, it’s not that bad for you. This recipe is loosely based on a turkey bacon corn chowder from Real Simple.

Now that my summer in New York City is coming to a close, I thought I would use up some of the things lying around in my kitchen. I found an ancient bag of frozen corn and some lean bacon in the fridge. I’m trying not to buy any new food, since I leave in four days, but I made an exception and ran downstairs for an onion. The best part about this recipe is that it has so few ingredients, only requires one pot and can be made for about $7.00.

Bacon Corn Chowder

Serves 2, takes about 20 minutes

You will need:

1 bag frozen corn kernels

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium size yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 or 4 slices of bacon cut into chunks (I used reduced fat, turkey bacon would be good or even the real stuff)

3/4 cup 2% milk (feel free to use 1/2 cup of half and half)

2 cups chicken broth

A pinch of red pepper flakes

To Prepare:

1. Run the corn under warm water to defrost, then pat dry

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot, add the chopped bacon and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic and onions and cook for five minutes on medium-high flame so the onions and bacon brown. Add the corn and red pepper flakes and cook for another few minutes so some of the corn gets crispy.

3. Add the milk and chicken broth and let it bubble for two minutes, then turn the flame down to a simmer and cook for ten minutes. Salt to taste.

4. Take the pot off the stove to cool for a little while, then pour about 3/4ths of the soup into a blender or food processor and pulse until soup-like. Add back to the reserved chunky bits and reheat if needed.

Note: This soup is not the prettiest of soups….the crispy onions turn the soup a sort of brown when blended, but don’t judge a book by it’s cover, it’s DE-LISH.