Comfort Food at the Corleyrosa

Two easy and scrumptious recipes are coming your way, but first let me brag on two of my friends whose cooking expertise far out shines mine.

My blessed friend Stephanie (and her hubby James) are fabulous chefs.  When they brought us dinner after William was born, they didn't bring just anything regular meal (like the mushroom chicken and rice casserole which is my "you just had a baby and need food" staple meal).  They brought us beef bourguignon with a strawberry feta salad and a delicious dessert tart.  It was fabulous!! (She is also one of the most talented teachers I know!)

My talented, organized friend Courtney makes just about everything from scratch.  Her 3 oldest children have been known to shun mac & cheese of the Kraft variety (a staple in our house) because they enjoy the real homemade thing.  She has made her own corndogs (which were wonderful) and I've even heard rumors that she has crafted her own marshmellows before!  I have the corndog recipe and that experiment will happen at the Corleyrosa sometime this summer!  :)

Now on to a couple of Corley favorites...

It has been a bit chilly around here lately.  I count the chill as a blessing because I know soon we will experience our 90 degree Alabama summer for 3+ months.  But this chill called for tummy warming soup and corn bread muffins.  Soup first...

Chicken Chowder...with a few pictures...not Pioneer-Woman worthy...but it adds some color!

Dice a medium white or yellow onion.

I love little smokies!  Cut up 15-17 little Smokies sausages.

You'll need about 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken.  

Now on to the canned ingredients...

Mushrooms, Cream of Celery, Corn, a can of vegetable soup, and large can of diced tomatoes.

This is my favorite veggie soup to use - Progresso Garden Vegetable - but any you have will be fine.  It needs to be veggie or chicken stock based and not beef.  Of course you don't have to use the reduced sodium version - I just found this $1 can of soup at one of my favorite places in Clanton, Darlene's Discount Grocery!

Now the secret ingredient - 1 Tbsp of Ground Thyme!

Now to build the soup - In the bottom of the soup pot sauté one small chopped onion over medium heat with a little olive oil .  Add 1 T of ground thyme to the cooking onion. Sauté for about another minute.  Add 1 can of mushrooms (drained).  Add a large can of diced tomatoes (don’t drain), then add 1 can of yellow whole kernel corn (drained).  Stir up these ingredients and let simmer for a minute.  Add 1 can cream of celery and 1 cup of water.  Add two cups of cooked, chopped chicken.  Add the chopped up Little Smokies to the soup.  Add one can of vegetable soup .  Add a little salt & pepper to taste.  Simmer over medium heat for another 15 minutes.

Now last but not least, the perfect compliment to Chicken Chowder - Corny Cornbread Muffins.  This recipe makes 18-19 muffins.

No pictures of my culinary skills at work...you'll just have to imagine it!

You'll need to gather two 8 oz boxes of Jiffy corn bread mix; 1 C sour cream, 15 oz can creamed corn; ½ stick of melted butter; 3 eggs.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Mix ingredients well.  Pour into greased muffin pans.  Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Cook for approximately 25 min!

If you get a wild hair and whip up either of these recipes then let me know how you like 'em :)!

Here's to yummy food and full tummies,

Rebecca