Potato and Corn Chowder

There's nothing better on a cold day than a hot, steaming bowl of soup. I like thicker, "stick-to-your-ribs" types of soups. I had a recipe from laying around. The orginal recipe called for ears of corn shredded off the cob, but I used frozen corn and added some carrots I had on-hand for sweetness. I whipped it up for an easy weekend dinner. It was creamy and delicous. I served it with a crusty loaf of french bread.

Corn and Fingerling Potato Chowder with Bacon
Ingredients

3 slices lean bacon
1 3/4 cups diced onion
4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 7 ears) --I used frozen corn
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup half-and-half
16 oz fingerling potatoes, diced--I used potatoes I had on hand
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste



Directions
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn, chopped thyme, and garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, milk, half-and-half, and potatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.Transfer 2 cups potato mixture to a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth; return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in salt and black pepper; sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Enjoy.