Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Today, it's too hot to do anything. I'm staying indoors with the A/C, reading, watching movies, and knitting or crocheting...oh, I'll probably do some laundry too. Stay cool and dry.

I wasn't terribly pleased with the recipe I tried last night. The chowder didn't turn out nearly as creamy as I'd hoped. Perhaps, if rather than following the recipe if I had creamed the portion of the chowder with the half-and-half rather than adding it later it might have come out with a better texture. Actually, I think it might have turned out better without the bacon. The bacon seemed to overwhelm the corn and shrimp flavors. Oh well, when you're trying out new recipes, your going to end up with a few losers. This came from the August 2011 issue of Cooking Light, which sort of surprises me because they almost always have great recipes.

So, if you'd like to try the Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp yourself, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

6 slices center-cut bacon chopped
1 cup prechopped onion
1/2 cup prechopped celery
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/3 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation
1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown. Remove 2 slices bacon. Drain on paper towels. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through minced garlic) to pan, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes.

2. Place 2 cups of corn mixture in a blender. Removed the center piece of of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed corn mixture to pan. Stir in shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done. Stir in half-and-half, pepper and salt. Crumble reserved bacon over soup. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 2/3 cups).

Calories 294; Fat 7grams; Protein 26.8 grams; Carbs 34.8 grams; Fiber 4.3 grams;