Corn Chowder

I found this recipe for Gamma Brown's Corn Chowder on the All Recipes web site http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gramma-browns-corn-chowder/.  I made several modifications so that I could eat it without triggering inflammation and pain - substituting rutabaga for the potatoes, Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread for the margarine, and almond milk for the milk.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound bacon

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 small (or 1 medium) onion, diced

2 Tbsp buttery spread

Pepper to taste

1 can creamed corn

1 can whole kernel corn

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups almond milk

2-3 cups diced rutabaga

2 carrots, chopped

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Salt & pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

In a large cooking pot, fry bacon.  Remove bacon and set aside.  Add onions and celery to pot.  Sauté until lightly browned.  Add corn, buttery spread, broth, carrots, and rutabagas.  Tear bacon into bite-sized pieces and add to pot.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until rutabaga can be stabbed with a fork, about 20 minutes.  Whisk together flour and milk.  Add to pot.  Bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Chowder should thicken.  Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes.

This can be made vegetarian by leaving out the bacon, using olive oil for sautéing, and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Curried Chicken Crepes

Monday was Susie's birthday.  She requested something very chocolate for dessert tonight, so I made some brownies and my one bowl double chocolate cookies.

For our main course, I was going to make Curried Seafood Crepes, but we have had a lot (for Evansville) of snow this week.  It's only been 4 weeks since my total hip replacement surgery.  I'm doing great, but still being a bit paranoid about risking a fall.  So I haven't been to the grocery store this week.  I had chicken tenders in the freezer, so decided to use the crepe batter recipe from the seafood crepes, but to modify a curried chicken crepe filling recipe I found at Fine Cooking http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/curry-chicken-crepes.aspx

INGREDIENTS

8 Tbsp soy free Earth Balance buttery spread

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp curry powder

Pinch of cayenne

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chutney (or raisins)

1/2 cup almond milk

Salt & pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (if poaching the chicken for this recipe, put a couple of slices of fresh ginger in the poaching water for flavor)

8 crepes

3 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

(Optional chopped cilantro - I have that gene that makes cilantro taste like soap, so I don't use it)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Melt buttery spread in skillet.  Add onion and celery.  Cook about 5 minutes over medium high heat.  Reduce heat and add curry powder and cayenne.  Cook about 1 minute.  Whisk in flour and cook about 2 minutes.  Whisk in chicken broth and chutney.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook, whisking often, until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add milk, salt, and pepper.  Boil about 3 minutes.  Strain about 1 cup through fine sieve and set aside to use as sauce.  Return what caught in sieve plus chicken to skillet with remaining filling and heat through.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease baking dish.  Fill crepes, roll, and arrange in single layer in baking dish, seam side down.  Pour strained sauce over center of crepes.  Bake uncovered about 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with almonds.

I served the crepes with a tossed salad and steamed green beans.