Thursday, August 21, 2008

August Corn Chowder and Soft Honey Whole Wheat Rolls

I have my own personal versions of corn chowder for every month of the year, or at least every season of the year. This version, the one I had two bowls of for Sunday lunch and then an extra bowl before I went to bed, is like liquid August. Sunshiney summer vegetables suspended in golden and creamy broth will impart the flavor of harvest warmth, like an edible Van Gogh sunflower painting. It makes me think of the poem by Robert Frost (and I hope I'm remembering it correctly):
Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
Thus Eden sank to grief.
And Dawn turns into day
Nothing gold can stay.
Since nothing gold can stay, clutch the season and make this summer soup, since September is truly just a turn of a leaf and a calendar page away. Enjoy it while it lasts....
Money Saving Tips: Hit up your farmer's market for your fresh veggies and corn. Since the cobs of the corn will flavor the broth, you can even get away with economical chicken bouillon cubes.
August Corn Chowder
Estimated Cost: $5.00
Notes: Make this soup with the soft whole wheat rolls for a hearty and healthful August meal.
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears of corn, kernels cut from cobs and cobs reserved
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies (or 1/2 cup home roasted green chilies)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small summer squash, chopped
1/2 cup cream or half and half, (I've also used fat free half and half with good results)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or basil, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon of lime juice
shredded cheese, optional for serving
chopped green onions, optional for serving
sour cream, optional for serving
In a heavy medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, corn, green chilies, and red pepper. Saute for five minutes. Add corn cobs to pan and saute an additional three minutes. Add broth, zucchini, and summer squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes or until every thing is tender. Remove cobs and discard. Stir in cream and cilantro and heat through. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. To serve, top with cheese, additional cilantro, green onions and cilantro.
My children are thrilled to death when I make homemade rolls. These ones are only slightly sweet, so serve them with loads of honey and of course butter. Leftovers would be great for sandwiches, but they never last that long at my house.
Honey Whole Wheat Rolls-adapted from Joy of Cooking
Estimated Cost: $2.00
Notes: During the summer, I let my bread rise in the car with the windows rolled up. It's hot and draft free in there.
1/4 cup warm water
2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast (I use Saf)
3 tablespoons butter or oil, plus more for the bowl and roll tops
3 tablespoons honey, plus more for the tops
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more if needed
1/4 cup oats, for the tops
In a small bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let stand for five minutes. In a separate large bowl, combine butter, honey, salt, and hot water. Stir until butter melts. Let cool until luke warm, about ten minutes. Add yeast mixture, egg, and flour, about 1 cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead the dough briefly, about two minutes. Butter the bowl and replace the dough. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rise for one hour. (You can refrigerate the dough for 2-12 hours, instead of letting it rise for one hour.) Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 portions. Shape them into round rolls and place in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Let rise, covered for about 1 hour. Bake for about 18 minutes at 425 degrees. When rolls finish baking, brush the tops with extra butter, some honey and give them a sprinkling of oats.
Coming Tomorrow:
Peanut Ginger Slaw and Spicy Asian Style Pasta Salad

48 comments:

  1. This chowder looks so good! I love using corn right off of the cob too! You did good Pollyanna!

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  2. One of our favourite meals is Corn chowder, and better still made with "fresh" corn. Yours looks wonderful and so do the rolls! Way to go YOU!

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  3. I love corn chowder and yours looks delcious! And now that school is back in session, soup sounds especially good (eventhough it's still 90 degrees outside). I can't wait to try this version as well as your other seasonal variations. The rolls loos so good, too! Thanks for another great vegetarian dinner!

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  4. Hey I love this - no potato (don't really like potato). Will be bookmarking this one

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  5. Love, love, love chowder, especially corn. And I love whole wheat bread, too. Definitely printing off these recipes.

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  6. This looks awesome! I had a hankering for corn chowder too! This looks much better than the magazine recipe I found the other day. Well done!

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  7. My husband loves corn and loves when I incorporate it into a meal. Your corn chowder looks so delicious, I am definitely going to "wow" him with this!

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  8. We are planning on making a corn chowder this weekend...might have to switch to your recipe, as it looks fantastic. The rolls look warm and delicious! Nicely done.

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  9. Those rolls look yummy! I wish I had one to eat with my coffee right now.

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  10. Holy cow this looks AMAZING! Okay, but hang on, how did I miss the granola, the granola grabbers, the shepherd's pie -all of which sound delightful! Didn't I check here two minutes ago, or at least yesterday {or if not the day before that for sure!} You've been a busy woman!

    So did Lee Lou do your blog? Otherwise why would you have her button? She did my button, I probably need her to do my whole blog but haven't gotten around to it! Anywho, if she did or you did or whoever, they did a great job! It looks great!

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  11. Hot garlic, you bet your sweet patootie it was Leelou. Isn't she the best? She did my little girl's blog, too and I love that one, plus she's done a couple of my friends and sisters,too. Thanks so much for the kind comments.

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  12. What a pretty delicious chowder. I think my kids would love the rolls. And what a great idea to put them in the car!

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  13. Your chowder looks so delicious! I will have to buy extra corn this week so I can make it... if I can keep my kids and husband from just eating it!

    The rolls look great, too... I really need to start baking bread in the fall...

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  14. This looks like another great hurricane weather recipe!! So rainy and just a great day for frogs and alligators!! When things flood I'm always afraid of what floats up out of the creeks and ditches and rivers! You know stranger things have happened??

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  15. I'm making this tonight. After the week I've had... I need comfort and that looks perfect. I'll have to use frozen corn though- I have a little over 200 cookies to frost tonight, a huge house that has to be hand-mopped and laundry to do. Ah... bread rising while I do all this. Oh. Is it time to go home yet?
    ~Cat

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  16. Yum your meal looks so good! I would die for a roll right now.

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  17. We are going to the farmer's market on Saturday. I will pick up corn and other fresh veggies to make this chowder. It looks delicious!! Have a great weekend!

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  18. Both of these look wonderful! I love corn chowder, and these rolls look perfect to go with it!

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  19. Oh, yum. I was going to make potato soup tonight, but I'm making this instead! We picked some ears of corn from our garden a couple days ago and they need to be used - perfect! Add in the crazy amounts of zucchini and squash growing out back, and this chowder is the answer to my troubles. LOL Thanks again Prudy, you always have the best recipes! (Oh, and I can't wait to try the rolls - those look delish.)

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  20. We had fresh corn on the cob last night from a local farm and it was so out of this world! This would be a perfect "excuse" to get some more of that corn- and don't even get me started on the rolls. My goodness, Prudy- you are my hero!

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  21. I love that you have different version of a dish for different times of the year, but i think I love those rolls even more!

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  22. Do you take your own pictures? The rolls look perfect, are they plastic?

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  23. We have friends that grow sweet corn and have told us if we help them pick it we can have some! Annual sweet corn festival is next week:) Can't wait to try this chowder! I love the idea of letting the bread dough rise in the car!!

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  24. There is a suprise for you in my blog. Click here to know what the suprise is, http://kitchenflavours.blogspot.com/2008/07/fruit-chaat.html

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  25. That looks delicious! I think I'll make it for dinner. I'm having a hard time keeping up with all of the squash and zuchinni my garden's producing, so thank's for this recipe that will help me use them in a yummy way! =)

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  26. Prudy,
    I loved the poem. It's Johnny's poem for Pony Boy in The Outsiders.
    "Stay Gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold..."

    Your rolls look delicious. I always love a good bread recipe.
    My kids love corn chowder. Mallory said you made it on their Nauvoo/back east trip.
    And we all know how Mallory loves corn. She used to eat it like a wild animal!

    Everything looks great, Prudy.

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  27. Yummy both of those recipes look wonderful!

    I love corn!

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  28. I LOVE soup! What a great way to use my never ending supply of veggies from my garden. I love this time of year. I'm going to make enough to freeze for winter! Thanks!

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  29. I never thought of putting bread dough in the car! Of course, since mine are in the garage, it's colder there than in the house. I love fresh yeast bread, and I need to check out these rolls further (but I'd need to triple the batch!).

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  30. Dear Prudy,
    Everything looked delicious and beautiful. I loved the poem too. Nothing golden does last so with that in mind, next market trip I'll be picking up some corn and veggies for this great chowder recipe.

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  31. Now this sounds really delicious as I love corn chowder. I wish I could get my husband to enjoy it as well. Love the rolls!!

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  32. Your chowder and rolls look delicious. It makes me excited for the crisp, cool feeling of fall! I will definitely be making this soon! Love your blog!

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  33. i have been looking for corn chowder recipes...this one looks great with all the fresh veggies!

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  34. what a well balanced meal! This looks like the perfect dinner! yummy!

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  35. Lori:
    I couldn't get to your blog-if you have one. I found your profile page, anyway. Thanks so much for visiting and leaving comments. I really appreciate it since I know you are one fab cook.

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  36. Wow those rolls are calling my name! What a perfect looking meal. I can just see myself dipping those rolls in the soup and being soooo happy!

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  37. Erin, thanks so much for coming and I hope you like the chowder.

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  38. Oh my goodness...this looks amazing. I can't wait to make it. Our corn will be ready in a few weeks, our summer squash is coming too. My zucchini as you know is very abundant! These flavors sound so good together. You are so talented. I am excited to try your rolls with your chowder in a few weeks. Thanks Prudy!

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  39. just pulled these rolls out of the oven and they are PERFECT. i love all things whole wheat, and being that they are yeast whole wheat rolls, i can't hardly stop eating them. got to save some though because i'm making the chowder in an hour. really- i've rarely had a recipe invovling yeast turn out this great- it's a strange animal- but you've tamed it! thanks for the amazing recipes.

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  40. Natalie:
    Oh that makes me so happy! I love when something I love works out for others. Best of luck with the chowder, too!

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  41. I made this one yesterday for lunch and it was so good. Simple yet tasty. We'll be having this one again soon.

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  42. Jennifer:
    Thanks so much for coming back and letting me know. I'm thrilled that you loved it!

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  43. Hi Prudy,
    I really enjoy your website and have made a number of the dishes you have posted. I am about to try the corn chowder and rolls. Here's the question... can I rest the dough, punch it down and form the 12 individual rolls and not bake them for approx. 4 hours? We'll be at the lake all day and I just thought it would be nice to pop them in when we get home. If not I know I can bake them early in the morning and just reheat. Sorry if it is a long post, i've been known to ramble...

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  44. Teppitoes:
    That's what I'd do. If they don't come out perfect, I know they'll be really really good. I do that often before I leave for church and I'm gone for at least three plus hours. Let me know how it turns out. There's nothing like fresh hot rolls!

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  45. I'm going to give this one a whirl today.. we got some fresh corn from our CSA, but I'm feeling like soup. When I saw the cobs in our box I thought of this post I read last month! Thanks for the inspiration....

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  46. Good for people to know.

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