Fresh sweet corn is paired with spicy jalapeno and sharp white cheddar for the ultimate Summer comfort food!
I am right in the middle of a giant purge. I am going room by room organizing, cleaning and getting rid of things we just don’t need.
I know this doesn’t sound like much, because I have spent the last 6 months avoiding it like the plague, but I finally broke down and got to work. Guess what? It has been the most liberating and empowering thing! I have decided to tackle the project one room at a time so it isn’t too overwhelming. Our house is pretty small, so I can knock out a room in a couple hours, so it really isn’t that bad.
I have thrown away TONS of things from college that Mr. Maebell and I had been hoarding. Papers, binders, projects, the works. I am not sure why we held onto all of that stuff, maybe we were scared the University would call and tell us we were really a credit or two short? Or maybe it is just the fact that other than one tiny piece of paper we needed to prove that all of those years really were for something! Whatever the reason that made me hang on to all of it for the last three years, I am over it! Time to move on.
Aside from all of the things I have gotten rid of I have found a few precious things. I found a note from Mr. Maebell that was written when we were seniors in high school, nearly ten years ago. (Where does the time go?!) I found a receipt from a Valentine’s Day present he bought back in 2007, I found the broken coffee mug that was the first thing we bought when we moved in together, a puppy harness that I can’t believe our giant monster of a Husky ever fit into, and a worn and tattered post it that simply says “Maebells.” It was the first time that I knew what I wanted to name this website, and I would guess it was written around five years ago, four years before this blog ever existed.
It is kind of fun to see all the little pieces of your life that ended up making the big pieces.
Of course, because I am overly sentimental I was emotional spent after spending a good chunk of the weekend sorting through closets and cleaning out boxes. I decided to make a big pot of cheesy comfort food!
I have had the idea for a really good sweet corn chowder for a while, and had given it a few tries, but never totally nailed it. This time, it was perfect. The key is to use really good ingredients, good fresh sweet corn, fresh jalapenos and a good, hearty, sharp cheddar.
This chowder has the perfect blend of flavors. It has a hint of spice from the jalapeno, a natural sweetness from the corn, a little smokeyness from the spices and a creamy cheddar base to balance it all out.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 small sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ears sweet corn, husk and silk removed and cut from the cobb
- 2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese (room temperature so it melts well)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (Cabot New York Vintage is my favorite)
Instructions
- Heat a large sauce pan or dutch oven to medium heat.
- Add olive oil and chopped onion, sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add corn and chopped jalapeños, sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Add broth, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and stir well.
- Cover and reduce heat to medium low, let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove lid and add cream cheese, cream and cheddar, stir well. Let simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Garnish with cilantro and green onions if desired.
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