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We’re in late August and it feels like fall! Even though I love the crispness of fall, and everything that comes with it, it’s a little too early for this.

But, to help deal with the mild temps, here’s a few fun recipes!

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CHICKEN & CORN CHOWDER

6 slices bacon, chopped

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups chicken stock

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

4 cups corn kernels (from about 5 ears)

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup heavy cream

3 green onions, chopped

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve the bacon drippings in the pan.

Add the butter to the bacon drippings and let melt. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook 30 seconds more. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually stir in the chicken broth.

Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.

Add the corn kernels, chicken, and cream; return to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes more.

To serve, top with the reserved cooked bacon and chopped green onions.

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STUFFED TOMATOES

1 Tbsp. salted butter, plus more for the baking dish

6 beefsteak tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix

1 1/4 cups shredded pepper jack cheese (about 5 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Slice the tops off the tomatoes (including the stems), and set the tops aside (the pieces should be about 1/2 inch thick). Using a spoon, scoop out the cores, pulp, and seeds. Discard the cores, and transfer the pulp and seeds to the sieve. Press firmly to extract as much juice as possible, then discard the remaining solids. You should have 1¼ cups of tomato juice; discard or reserve excess for another use, or add water if necessary to reach the desired amount. Season the hollowed-out tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and arrange them in the prepared baking dish.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, black pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the reserved tomato juice and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the stuffing mix and 1 cup of the pepper jack cheese.

Fill the tomatoes with the sausage mixture (about a heaping ½ cup each) and top evenly with the remaining ¼ cup pepper jack cheese. Place the tomato tops in the baking dish next to the stuffed tomatoes.

Bake, uncovered, until the tomatoes are soft and easily pierced with a paring knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Place the tops on the tomatoes before serving.  

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SOUTHERN FRIED CORN

4 slices bacon

6 ears corn

2 Tbsp. salted butter

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large cast iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble. Leave the drippings in the pan.

Cut the kernels off the corn cobs and place in a large bowl. Using the back of a knife, scrape the cobs to extract all the juices and add to the bowl.

Add the butter to the bacon drippings and melt over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the corn is tender and lightly browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Stir in the cream and cook until slightly thickened and the corn is coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and top with the crumbled bacon.

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BEEF NOODLE CASSEROLE

2 lb. beef chuck roast, cut into 2-in. pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 medium yellow onions, coarsely grated

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

6 cloves garlic, finely grated 

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

6 cups best-quality beef broth

1 (12-oz.) package wide egg noodles

1 (8-oz.) block fontina cheese, freshly grated

Finely chopped parsley, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously season the beef with salt and pepper.

Heat a large Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high, then add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pot. When it shimmers, add half of the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and repeat with the remaining beef.

Add the onion and carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste and flour to the pot. Stir to thoroughly combine everything and continue cooking until the tomato paste has darkened slightly, about 2 minutes. Carefully add the beef stock to the pot, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Add the seared beef and any juices.

Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is tender enough to shred easily with a fork, 2 to 2½ hours. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 400°F. 

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a clean bowl and allow to cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, return the Dutch oven to the stovetop and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the egg noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 5 minutes.

While the egg noodles cook, shred the beef. 

When the noodles are ready, stir the beef back into the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then sprinkle the fontina evenly over the top of the casserole and return to the oven. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

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SUN DRIED TOMATO-WHITE BEAN DIP

1 (15-oz.) can white beans, such as cannelini, great northern, or navy

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, plus 3 tablespoons of the oil

2 tsp. grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Pita wedges and cut-up vegetables, for serving

Add the beans and their liquid to a food processor. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Spoon the dip into a bowl and serve with pita wedges and cut-up vegetables.

TFD: There isn’t anything noble about being superior to another person.  True nobility is in being superior to the person you once were.

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