Cooking Corner: Cold weather creamless corn chowder

Few dishes are as satisfying on a cold fall or winter day than a hot bowl of soup. This creamless corn chowder recipe makes enough for four servings.

Ingredients:
3 cans of corn
3 thick slices of bacon
1 large onion
1 red bell pepper
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Chop bacon into small pieces. Fry over medium-high heat in a large pot for 5 – 7 minutes.
2. While the bacon is cooking chop bell pepper and onion into small chunks. Add to pot with bacon once bacon has become crispy.
3. Allow the bell pepper and the onion to soften. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 – 7 minutes. Stir mixture every couple of minutes.
4. While the vegetables are cooking open and drain corn. Measure out roughly 3 cups of corn. Add to blender with a splash of water. Puree the corn until smooth.
5. Add corn puree, thyme, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Allow the puree to simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Next, chop potatoes into small chunks. Then add to pot with remaining corn.
7. Cook chowder on low-medium heat for an additional 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.