"A Chilly Soup And A Warm Chowder"

Remove the husks from the corn and place in pot with water and onions. Boil for about forty-five minutes. Remove the kernels from off the cob, remove husks from water. Add corn, cook until tender, then puree, adjust seasoning and chill. When serving add a little chopped parsley or basil for garnish.

For removing the kernels from a cob of corn for soup or other recipes. Check out the corn zipper at chef's catalogue.

You will enjoy this creamy corn and cauliflower chowder. The smokey flavor from the bacon and the sharpness from the cheddar cheese are good partners. If you would like to make it a vegetarian chowder, instead of the bacon, use a couple of drops of liquid smoke.

Your ingredients are cut kernels of corn, chunks of cauliflower, smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, onions, roasted red peppers, celery,(optional), potatoes, butter, flour, milk, paprika, nutmeg, basil, or parsley for garnish.

For your stock, use the milky juice from the husks as in the previous recipe or you can use a vegetable or chicken stock. Sauté bacon, onions, celery, and peppers and to stock along with potatoes and simmer until potatoes are almost tender. If you're using salt, you can lightly salt the potatoes prior to cooking. Add corn and cauliflower. Cook until tender.

In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and pepper. Melt butter in saucepan, whisk milk into flour mixture add to saucepan, then add chunks of cheese. Stir frequently. Chowder should be thick and bubbly. Serve with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, or freshly grated nutmeg. Chop some parsley or freshly chopped basil leaves.

This soup or chowder will keep you warm and fill you up.

Potatoes are very versatile, the Austrian crescent fingerling have yellow skinned and are terrific boiled. If you don't want to take all the nutritional value from them, you could steam the potatoes, cauliflower and corn and then add to the stock.

This is very yummy.

What to do with Red Lentils? How about using them as comfort food in a warm and filling stew. You can serve it along with a crusty Italian bread, a mixed green salad, and your favorite beverage. You might even have room for a sweet dessert to finish it off.

These legumes come in a variety of colors and any of them can be used for this recipe. You can give your lentils a bath before cooking them. Without the soap of course.

If you choose to soak them first, you will have a softer consistency bean. You can use any type of stock whether it's beef, chicken or vegetable. Your list of ingredients are, lentils, olive oil, onion, red bell pepper, freshly ground black pepper, whole tomatoes, freshly grated ginger, red pepper, curry powder, and garlic. Top it off with a creamy yogurt sauce with cilantro leaves as a garnish.

Cook lentils until tender. Saute in olive oil onions, red bell peppers, and garlic. If you would like more vegetables in your stew try adding chopped carrots along with spinach or kale. Add vegetables to broth along with black pepper, red pepper, and curry powder.

Do you want some meat to your stew, add in some Andouille sausgage. This sausage is a heavily smoked pork sausage with peppers, onions, and wine. Pour soup into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Simmer to blend flavors. Blend yogurt and cilantro leaves in blender.

Pour soup into into bowls and top with creamy sauce. Serve with a mixed green salad and a light dressing and Italian bread.

This is great on a cool night. Aaah...

You can use these recipes as a starter to begin your meal along with these appetizers or a side dish of vegetables