Winter Corn ChowDAH and a TRUE CONFESSION!

I have a strange confession to make. I'm not sure I really like corn. I mean, I like it on the cob, but I don't really like it in any other form. Not a huge fan of cornbread (well, except for this recipe). It's sort of a scarlet letter to bear, I mean, who doesn't like corn? Well, as was made all the more clear with this last cooking endeavor, I don't.

I try and cook with my crockpot once a week (have I mentioned yet how much my life has been enriched by my crockpot?), and yesterday was no exception. I got up a little early, did all the prep work (which was really only sauteing the onions and celery and then chopping up veggies), and left for the day. I should have known I wouldn't like this as much because there was additional work to do when I got home. And the additional work is scary because it involves moving a hot liquid into my food processor which has yet to go smoothly.

But alas, it was completed. Interestingly enough, I didn't do much wrong with this recipe, although to be fair, it was incredibly simple. At the end though, the flavor was so bland that I had to add some spice. I added a bunch of crushed red pepper, hot sauce, tons of cilantro (my favorite herb hand's down), and seasoning salt. It was still pretty bland and a little runny, but honestly, I'm not sure anything could have been done to this soup to make me like it anymore. Me + corn does not equal true love. If you have a recipe you think may change my mind, PLEASE let me know. Otherwise, I may just stop trying.

Here's a picture. Ignore the spill on the bowl and the mess in the background. I was under a time crunch.

Here's the recipe from "Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker" by Robin Robertson. Great cookbook by the by.

Corn Chowder in Winter

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives, parsley, or other fresh herbs

Directions:

-Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
-Transfer the cooked vegetables to a 4- to 6- quart slow cooker. Add the potato, corn, bell pepper, and stock; season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook on Low for 6 hours.
-Ladle 2 cups of the soup solids into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Stir the puree back into the chowder and taste for salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the chopped tomatoes and chives or other fresh herbs.