Fall has officially found its way to Virginia and it is making itself very welcome. Fall can stay however long it wants but I know selfish winter will be shoving its way in before we get to enjoy our pumpkin spice lattes from our local Starbucks. Winter just can’t let fall have all the fun can it?  I know, so selfish!

So to accompany those ridiculously cold fall days, like this past week (30 degrees!), I make chowder. Seriously, what is fall/winter without a creamy and wholesome chowder? Especially corn chowder with BACON! And of course with some warm biscuits on the side… Cheddar biscuits that is!

It has been a couple of weeks since I last blogged due to some back-to-back exams and a few overnighters… It was not fun and I think I lost my sanity for a little bit, nothing coffee can’t fix though, right?!

But you know what’s funny? The first thing I do after coming home from an exam, or anything that required brainwork and loss of sleep…

Is not sleep…

I actually drag my feet into the kitchen to experiment with food. Weird I know, but it’s my way of just vegging out. I enjoy cooking and since it was ridiculously cold outside I thought I should make chowder to fulfill the amount of stress my body just went through. I just pulled 2-4 all-nighters, I deserve a fatty chowder, okay! And maybe some biscuits, EXTRA CHEESY! Oh yeah… I was not skimping on flavor.

This chowder was delicious and the cheesy biscuits were a perfect compliment to the creaminess of the soup.

So good in fact, I had seconds… maybe thirds…

Once again don’t judge me…

Bon Appétit

Corn Chowder

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cans drained 16 oz canned whole kernel corn (no salt added) about 4 cups
4 cups chicken stock (2 cans)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion diced
½ cup chopped bacon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup leeks, roughly chopped
½ cup carrots, roughly diced
½ cup celery, roughly diced
1 ½ cup small diced potato
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (or add more salt if don’t have)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a deep stock pot heat bacon, onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add leeks, celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme and sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil for another 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock, chicken bullion and potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the corn.

While the soup is simmering mix the 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 ½ tablespoons corn starch until the corn starch has dissolved and add to the soup mixture. Let boil simmer for 10 minutes then serve with cheddar biscuits.

Cheddar biscuits

Yields: 14 small biscuits

Ingredients:

2 ¾ cups flour
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
4 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons butter
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, Parmesan cheese and baking powder.

Cut the butter into small pieces. Work in the butter until the mixture is unevenly crumbly. Then mix in the cheddar cheese

In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the heavy cream and 2 eggs. Then add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix the dough by hand until all is moistened.

Mold the dough onto a floured surface and then divide into two round circles then separate and evenly mold the individual biscuits and place onto a baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter.

Bake for 8 minutes.

Enjoy with a bowl of corn chowder!