What Makes a Chowder a Chowder?

Potatoes.

Just kidding. That was what someone told me when I was telling them about this awesome Potato Chowder recipe I tried the other week.

The definition that Wikipedia gives is not as definitive. Regardless, my love of potatoes and chowder (um, fatchowder?!), remains the same.

There's a place near me that has an awesome Potato, Cheddar & Jalapeno chowder, which my friend assigned for me to recreate somehow. After a quick Google search, this recipe from a blog called Evil Shenanigans looked promising.

With the leftover potatoes from Thanksgiving (I bought 5 lbs with this in mind), and some substitutions here and there, this is what happened:

POTATOES!!!

I didn't take out bacon from the freezer ahead of time, so I had to do without this time (I know, shame on me). I also didn't have seasoned diced tomatoes from a can, but had a box of yellow cherry tomatoes, and used poblano peppers instead of jalapeno peppers. Instead of cheddar cheese, I used shredded monterey jack cheese and added corn. I also didn't have sour cream to garnish when serving (seriously, how did I even make this soup???), but at least I did have green onions!

Next time, there will be bacon, more red tomatoes, cheddar cheese and the potatoes will be boiled longer for a different textured soup. The corn stays.

From left counter clockwise: boiling potatoes & sauteing everything else; cheese & peppers;  chowder is served!; peeled potatoes

Post-Hurricane Irene Eating

Just when you thought all the hurricane nonsense was over...and by that, I mean it is, but I just stumbled upon some photos from the Monday after the hurricane when the weather was beautiful but the trains weren't running, so I was able to spend the day at home with my sister.

We were trying to make it a super productive day, so lunch was quick and easy - Velveeta, meet whole grain rotini. As a whole I really don't care for whole grain pasta - it has a different consistency that feels more grainy to me. But I'll eat it, and if there's nothing else, then...well then I really have no other choice, do I.

 

ew, looks so gross

better? I'm not so sure...

so gross and so enticing at the same time

 Some more time and effort was put into dinner, using fresh cucumber and tomatoes from our garden, as well as something found in the fridge. I'm not sure what it is in English, but I boiled it when I really should have baked it, so it came out as a blobby mess - but still good. The cucumber and tomatoes I mixed cold with some tofu and what I think they call the thousand year old preserved egg? Somehow, they do something to eggs where they turn black, and in my opinion, taste even more delicious than regular eggs. I know many people would beg to differ though, whether it's based on the actual appearance of the eggs or the unique taste. But hey, less competition for me! Also mixed in some avocado, and drizzled in sesame oil with a touch of hot chili oil. I also made some of my favorite corn soup.

 

The meal

 Oh, and did I mention that the weather was beautiful and we spent the morning out on the kayak in the Sound? Well, we did.

Pasta Salad

One of my favorite things to throw together for an impromptu BBQ party is this pasta salad. A neighbor gave my mom the recipe back when I was maybe still in Middle School?!?! Definitely not going to get into how many years ago that actually was...*ahem...

All it is, is: penne (I used whole wheat today b/c that's what we had in the house). a cucumber, tomatoes, a red onion, garlic, feta cheese, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Might I add, the cucumber and tomatoes that I used today were from our very own garden =)

Cook the pasta (al dente of course!), chop everything else up, mix it all together, and voila! Meal. Game. Set. Match.

Check out what this bum was doing while she was supposed to be "helping" me