Corn Chowder

For Christmas, my parents gave me some new dishes. The desire for dishes is a family gene passed down from my mother, so it was fitting that she and I picked them out together. They are a beautiful creamy yellow with a great feel. I'm looking forward to enjoying a lot of home-cooked meals on these plates. Among the first pieces I picked out were soup bowls designed to hold a generous portion.

With new soup bowls waiting to be filled, the obvious course of action is to try out some new soup recipes. On Monday night we had corn chowder. It was the perfect recipe for my new yellow bowls.

Mama's Corn Chowder
2 T butter
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup instant mashed potatoes
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can cream-style corn (w/ liquid)
1 15 oz can whole kernel corn (w/ liquid)
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
½ c flour
1 ½ cups half & half (or milk)

Sauté the celery, onion, and carrot in butter for 5 minutes in a large stockpot. Don't brown the veggies; sweat them instead. Add 4 cups broth, instant mashed potatoes, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Your pot will look like this as you bring it to a boil:
Add the cans of corn (with their liquid), sugar, and white pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will be getting thicker. By now, your pot will look like this:
Combine flour with half & half (or milk) and stir with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add this mixture to the soup and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until thick. Serve in your brand new yellow soup bowls:
Yummy.