Roasted Corn Chowder

After 2 weeks of craziness and being on the run, it felt so good to be back in my kitchen.  It's the place where I get to experiment, create and make my friends and family happy with food.  Today we've had some "iffy" weather and even though it's not cool outside, I decided to make a big pot of Roasted Corn Chowder.  This pot of goodness has flavors of bacon, onion, potatoes and a little kick of red pepper.  Just a word of warning - when making this dish, after roasting the corn, try really, really hard not to eat all of that sweet goodness before you make the chowder!  It took all I had in me NOT to do so!! Mercy day is that stuff GOOD...anyway, that's what's for dinner tonight along with Grape and Gorgonzola Green Salad and Key Lime Pie for dessert.  Happy, happy Tuesday everyone....

Roasted Corn Chowder

4 to 5 slices of bacon - cut into 3rds

6 cups of roasted corn - about 8 to 10 ears

1 medium onion - diced

3 tablespoons of flour

4 Yukon gold potatoes - diced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

5 cups of chicken stock

1 cup of half and half

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 500 degrees.  

Butter corn and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Wrap in tin foil and roast in oven for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes.

**you can also roast the corn on the grill**

When corn is done, remove from foil, cool slightly and cut from the cob.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in large dutch oven.

Cook bacon in hot oil until crispy. 

Remove to drain on paper towels.

Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to bacon drippings and heat. 

Add onions and saute until translucent.

Mix in flour, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes.

Add chicken stock and potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.

Gently mix in corn and half and half, stirring well.  

Add Cayenne pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove pot from stove and with an immersion blender, process until chowder is blended but still has texture.  **You can use a potato masher or stand blender to get the same texture - no worries!**

Place back on stove, heat on low.  Serve with crumbled bacon and if desired, cheddar cheese.

Just in case you're still hungry....the recipes for the Grape and Gorgonzola Green Salad and the Key Lime Pie are on the way.  Hang in there with me, I'm just getting started!  Big Sweetie says stay off the roads....I might be making a grocery store/farmers market run at any time now!