Easy Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
2 medium unpeeled red potatoes
1 cup cubed cooked ham
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (12 oz.) fat-free evaporated milk
1 can (15 oz.) creamed corn
2 tablespoons sliced chives
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)
Directions:
1. Cut potatoes and ham into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside. Dice bell pepper. Coarsely chop celery. Heat butter over medium heat. Add bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in flour; heat until bubbly. Gradually add broth, evaporated milk and corn, whisking until blended.
2. Add potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in ham; heat through. Remove from heat; stir chives into soup and season with salt and black pepper. Top with bacon and enjoy!
Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
(not exactly an easy recipe...but delicious!)
makes 6 dozen
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 ounces (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 oz.)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar; sifted
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Fit a pastry bag with a large coupler and a 1/2 inch plain round tip (such as an Ateco #806); set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in medium bowl; set aside. Cream 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter and the brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment until pale, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. On low speed, add pumpkin, 3/4 cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix until combined, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, until well combined.
3. Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to pastry bag. Holding tip close to parchment paper, pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining batter. Bake until tops are springy to the touch, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, put confectioner's sugar in a large bowl; set aside. melt remaining 10 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Immediately pour butter over confectioner's sugar, scraping any brown bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add remaining 5 tablespoons milk and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing on each cookie. (If icing becomes stiff, stir in a little more evaporated milk until spreadable.) Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.
