Corn Chowder

UGH, can I apologize AGAIN for my horrible camera???!  I hate putting ugly pictures on my blog, but I could not get a good one of this soup.
Anyway, this is a great recipe for corn chowder.  I am going to include the light version, which is pictured, and the not-so-light version.  Honestly, if I wasn't trying to lose weight, I definitely would have made the latter.  However, the light version was still good, just not as rich.


Corn Chowder:
adapted from Tyler Florence
click here for printable version

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup flour
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups frozen corn, or 6 ears of fresh corn
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley


*** LIGHT VERSION***
omit butter
replace 2 cups heavy cream with 1 cup fat free half and half


Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and thyme.  Cook for about 8 minutes.
Dust the vegetables with the flour and stir to coat.  Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

Boil for 10 minutes, until the potatoes break down.  I used my immersion blender at this point to attempt to make the soup a little creamier without the cream.  If you have one I would use it, but if you don't it shouldn't change the outcome that much.
Cut the corn off the cob, or if using frozen, add to the pot.  Season soup with salt and pepper and simmer about 10-12 minutes, until the corn is soft.  Stir in the parsley.