C is for Corn and Cookies

Craving anything corny?

This week, we have had a lot to Celebrate:
1. I have a job at Gigi's Cupcakes, but more importantly I really enjoy it.
2. St. Patrick's Day
3. Me and the Mrs. have been married three months!

Before we get to this week's recipes, I would just like to say that I appreciate all you readers out there. We are only three letters of the alphaBITE in, and I have had several of you send me very helpful articles and ideas to prepare for the rest of this project. Thank you very much, and keep them coming! And of course keep reading. Now on to the food; I'm hungry!

Corn Chowder

• 5 large ears of Corn


• 2 slices of bacon


• 1T butter


• 2T olive oil


• 1 cup of onions, large dice


• 1 1/2 cup white mushrooms


• 2T flour


• 1T salt


• 1T black pepper


• 2 carrots


• 3 cups milk


• 1 cup heavy cream


• 1 1/2t Chili powder


• 1/2t garlic powder


• 4 scallions

Clean, wash, and dry your corn. Cut the corn kernels off into a large bowl. Take care to not cover your kitchen counter in corn (like I did) get the corn IN the bowl and set it aside.

In a large pot, brown the bacon. Once it is crispy, remove bacon bits onto a paper towel. In the same pot, heat butter and olive oil, and add diced onions, mushrooms, and flour. While the onions and mushrooms cook, peel carrots and cut them into 2" lengths. You will use them in the chowder for flavor, but will not serve them. Also roughly chop scallions.

When the onions are transparent and the mushrooms are darker add in the carrots, corn, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the spices are evenly distributed. Pour in milk and cream. On medium high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer and thicken. (30-45 minutes) Toss in the scallions and let simmer for five more minutes.
Serve with bacon pieces on top.
If you don't like bacon, dont add them on top of your chowder.

Clover Chocolate Cookies

Before I share this recipe with you, I have to admit I did not come up with any of this one. In my research for the project I came across these cookies on a blog called LilaLoa. With the claim that this is the "The End-All for Chocolate Cookies Recipe" I had to try it, and then I found on the same blog this awesome way to decorate them. Since our friends decided to have a St. Patrick's Day dinner, I had to bring them.

The recipe for the cookies is here. One thing to note, the recipe calls for 1 CUP of butter, NOT 1 pound of butter. That doubles the recipe. (good thing that I had enough stuff to double the recipe in the pantry...) For the icing:

Mint Icing

• 1 cup of powder sugar


• 1T butter


• 1/2t peppermint extract


• 1-3T milk


• 1-2 drops of green food coloring

Stir in soften butter and peppermint extract into powder sugar. Add milk one tablespoon at a time to sugar until the icing is thick, but still fluid. Separate 1/4 of the icing and add in food coloring until it is the desired color green. Once you have your icing mixed, decorate cookies. LilaLoa has very detailed instructions with illustrations that you can find here. They are really fantastic cookies.

I hope you all had a great week, and I hope that you are as excited for "D" as I am.

-J