Happy Fall!

Omg!  The weather here today has been just absolutely amazing!  I hope all of you are able to enjoy it as well.  If it's not beautiful where you are, be patient it will be!  :D.  So as the summer comes to a close so does all the beautiful corn that has been surrounding me for the past three months.  LOL.  Mom bought some last week at a local market and well honestly, the season is over.  Mom just doesn't wanna give it up.  So, I had left over corn in the fridge and needed something to do with it that could use it but not make it the center of attention.  That, I found, was this recipe.  Momma loves shrimp, I got to use left over corn and it was really yummy!  I hope you find it so also.  I swear the older I get the faster time flies.  I really have no idea where the summer went.  There were no vacations so maybe that is what was missing!  LOL.  Eat well, my friends!

Creamy Seafood Chowder

4 center cut bacon slices, chopped

4 green onions

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 Cup all purpose flour

2.5 Cups 2% reduced fat milk

1.25 Cups unsalted chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)

1 10 oz package frozen corn kernels, thawed (or as with me leftover corn in the fridge, I didn't measure mine it was two cobs cleaned)

Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat 6 minutes or until crisp.  remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings.

Thinly slice green onions; reserve 2 tablespoons dark green parts.  Add white and light green onion parts, thyme and garlic to drippings in pan; saute 2 minutes.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.  Sprinkle over onion mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in milk, stock and bay leaf; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in salt, black pepper, red pepper shrimp and corn; simmer 4 minutes or until shrimp are done.  Discard bay leaf.  Divide soup evenly among four bowls; sprinkle with bacon and reserved 2 tablespoons of green onions.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............................Crusty bread on the side!

----Recipe by Elizabeth Nelson and Laraine Perri (Cooking Light September 2014)