Kimmie's Corn Chowder

I am ready rename the Midwest the Freezer. yes, it is winter, and winter is cold, and I did move here for the change in seasons, but I'm done. I am ready for spring.

On that note, the being cold part, I have been thinking about my favorite soups and stews. Tonight we will be having corn chowder, and as I  am always trying to loose weight, again, I will be making a light version. It will still be thick and yummy, but here is the regular version first.



Ingredients
1 12 to 16 oz bag of frozen corn
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1/2 onion copped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 oz lean ham diced.
1 quart cream of celery soup
2 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar

Garnish
sour cream
chives
crumbled bacon

Start by putting the corn in the bottom of the crock pot. next add the onion, bell pepper, an the potatoes.

 Stir together. Add the celery soup. Turn the crock pot on high, and bring to a simmer.

After it has simmered together for 2 hours, add sugar, salt and pepper. mix well.  Take about a quarter of the soup and put in a blender; blend until smooth. Add back to the pot. Turn down to low for two more hours. 

Serve with sour cream, bacon and chives.

To lighten this up, substitute cream of celery soup for low fat chicken broth, use low fat milk and light sour cream,  and turkey bacon. 

To get the same flavor, you'll need to add 1/3 cup finely diced celery and 1 teaspoon celery seeds. Add these at the beginning when mixing the corn onion and potato.

Apple Dumplings.

Ah, Fall in the Midwest. Don't just love Fall? There is a nip in the air, and the leaves are all changing colors. The sky is a brilliant blue, and the smell of baking fills our homes.

 Makes me want to try my hand at apple dumplings. I got this recipe from a friend at the J.O.B.  She makes these when we have potlucks. 

Every time we have a pot luck, this dish is requested, wrong word, it is actually required.. Poor D. She is only allowed to bring Apple Dumplings and Beer Bread.  It has become the running joke. She has suggested she might bring something else, but people act so whiny.  One would think there would be a revolt if she didn't bring these. So she acquiesces and brings the faves.   In fact she gets requests for the apple dumplings even when we are not having a pot luck.  I bet this would also be good with a little vanilla ice cream.

 Ingredients

large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Mountain Dew ™

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.


2.Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.

3.Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew™ over the dumplings.

4.Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown