Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Miss Annie's Note:

Sweet Potatoes, corn, and bacon. A delicious hearty soup to serve during the fall and winter months. From The Peach Tree Tea Room in Fredericksburg, Texas by Cynthia Collins Pedregon.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 10 Cups

• 3 slices bacon , coarsely chopped
• 1 cup onion , coarsely chopped
• 1 cup red pepper , coarsely chopped
• 1 cup leek , coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram, chopped or ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper , freshly ground
• 2 medium sweet potatoes , peeled, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (1 lb.)
• 1 cup fresh corn or 1 cup frozen corn
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups water , divided use
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ cup half-and-half or ½ cup milk
• 2 cups cooked chicken , cut in chunks

Directions:

1. In stock pot, sauté bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned.
2. Remove bacon and set aside.
3. Add onion, red pepper, leek, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper to bacon drippings.
4. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add sweet potatoes, corn, chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups water to mixture in stock pot.
6. Cook until sweet potatoes are tender (approx. 15 to 20 minutes).
7. Mix cornstarch and 1/2 cup water and stir into soup.
8. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly and cook until thickened.
9. Reduce heat to low, stir in half and half or milk, bacon and cooked chicken.
10. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Reviews

[Lorac]

A feast for the eyes as well as your palate! The sweetness of the red peppers, sweet potatoes and corn is offset by the bacon, chicken, thyme and marjoram. The half and half adds richness and a pale yellow background for the red, green, orange and yellow colors of the vegetables and herbs. I started by cooking 3 boneless chicken breasts in the bacon drippings. I set them aside and sauteed the vegetables and herbs having to substitute green onions for the leeks. I substituted red skin yams for the sweet potatoes(for color), heavy cream for the half and half (personal preference) and used 8 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water because I had 4 cup boxes of broth. Well, you have done it again Miss Annie! I think I need to add a special category to my cookbook just for your recipes.

[melinda gilbert]

I make a very goog corn chowder that my family loves, but never thought of adding sweet potatoes to it. I made this recipe for a halloween party in crock pot. Yummy. Everyone loved it.

[KarenT]

Took this to a gathering where soup is the theme. It was a hit. It is a wonderfully delicious soup that is perfect for those cold winter nights.