Corn, Sausage & Leek Chowder. A warm hug in a bowl.

If I was one of those organized people who hosted holiday open houses with Vince Guaraldi playing in every room and Mistletoe hanging above the doorway, I'd serve this soup. Comforting yet not too rich with its brothy stock laden with all kinds of textures, it has everything going for it. And that's before you add toppings!

You can use sweet sausage instead of spicy but I love a little heat against the sweet corn. And if you want it 'meatier' feel free to up the sausage to one pound. I find the ratio below makes this a perfect guys and gals soup though. The dudes feel like they're eating a hearty meal and us gals can still hold our head up and say we had soup for dinner. But if you're in the camp of 'mo sausage, mo betta' cheers to that.

Maybe one year I'll be organized enough to actually host that holiday party of my dreams. Until then I'm just happy knowing I already have the perfect recipe.

Corn, Sausage and Leek Soup
* This soup is great to make ahead and tastes amazing reheated.
* I can't stress rinsing your leeks thoroughly enough. This is best to do once you've halved them lengthwise so you can get the water in between the leaves where fine grit hides.
* Serves 6.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound spicy Italian sausage, loose
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 med sweet onion, chopped
3 leeks, white and light green (not tough) parts only, well rinsed, halved lengthwise then chopped into thin strips crosswise
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste
pinch pepper
10 oz frozen corn
32 oz low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup half and half

Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Chopped Fresh cilantro, for serving
Tortilla chips, crushed up, for serving

Directions:
In a large dutch oven, break up the sausage with a wooden spoon and cook over medium heat until cooked through and some bits have become nice and brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove sausage with a wooden spoon and set aside.

To the dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons salted butter and a tablespoon of olive oil. Allow the butter to melt then add the onion. Cook stirring often for 3 minutes then add the leaks. Season with coriander, salt and pepper and continue cooking and stirring over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the leeks are super soft, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the corn, chicken stock, and cooked sausage and raise heat slightly so the soup comes to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes, then reduce heat to low and stir in the half and half. Taste for seasoning. If it's not the most delicious thing you've ever eaten, it needs more salt so make gradual adjustments until it is.

Serve with chopped fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheddar and or/any other toppings you see fit.

Cilantro Mayo...

Sometimes the easiest way to spice up something old and familiar (i.e. the everyday burger) is to change its clothing. Cilantro mayo gives burgers a Southwestern spin along with a healthy dose of attitude. Of course you could also slather it over grilled corn with some crumbled cotija cheese for a great-off-the-grill side dish. Oh the fun of accessorizing!

Cilantro Mayo

1/2 cup light or regular mayo
large handful of cilantro, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more if you like more heat
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all ingredients and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Will keep for up to two days well covered in the fridge.

Summery Corn Chowder with Coriander

Corn hating makes me sad. Yes it may be partially responsible for the fattening of America (corn syrup) but it's also the most summery vegetable of them all. The two go hand in hand. It's even the color of summer. And in my opinion, a barbecue isn't a barbecue without a cilantro-buttered cob or two.

This soup is further proof that cilantro and corn were meant to be together. It's creamy (yikes! I hate that word! I must need coffee...), slightly sweet, and spicy all at the same time. I could eat it by the bucket full, even at the risk of being described as 'corn fed'.

PS - this soup gets better as it sits in the fridge. I suggest making it the day before a dinner party then reheating it to serve as a first course.

Creamy Corn Chowder with Cilantro and Cayenne
* Can be made vegetarian if you sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
* Yes I used frozen corn instead of fresh b/c I was in a hurry. Feel free to cut the kernels off two fresh cobs as a replacement.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
dash olive oil
1 small/medium Vidalia or Spanish onion, chopped
1 small/medium yellow squash, chopped into smallish dice
pinch salt
pinch white pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 large garlic clove, or 2 small minced
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 green onions, rinsed and cut in half

1/3 cup half and half
extra dash of white pepper

Instructions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven (large, heavy lidded pot) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper, until it's begun to soften. Add in the squash and season with the coriander, cayenne (you can add more if you're a heat addict), and cumin. Saute, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and saute another 2 minutes. At this point, if any of the onions or veg don't look completely soft and cooked through, put the lid on to speed things up leaving it on for a few minutes. Add in the corn, stock and green onions and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil for about a minute, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes on low.

Kill the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Remove the green onions and discard, then use an immersion blender to blend everything up and make it smooth. Stir in the half and half and a dash more white pepper and serve garnished with chopped fresh jalapeno and cilantro leaves.

Sweet Cornbread Casserole

After being seduced by Food and Wine Magazine, I went out and bought another cookbook - Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights. Sophie Dahl is the granddaughter of my favorite childhood (and adult) writer - Roald Dahl. My mom must have read me every one of his books growing up and I plan to repeat this tradition if and when it applies. Anyway, if you like books you might recognize Sophie through her literary heritage and/or own literary career. Or if you like fashion, you might recognize her wide, doe like eyes and porcelain skin from magazines. Sophie was a model for several years, gracing the likes of Vogue and Elle in all of her 5' 11" voluptuousness. And even though she was applauded for her size, she still struggled behind the lens with comparisons to all those coat hangers she had to share the limelight with.

She documents some of this, hilariously, in her new cookbook. She also imparts a down to earth, common sense approach to cooking and eating healthfully. The recipes are simple, fresh, and light on meat. Shortly after reading it cover to cover, I vowed to give up evil, processed food and ingredients as much as possible.

I felt empowered. I felt healthier. And then PMS happened and brought along with it visions of cornbread. Worse than cornbread actually, cornbread casserole, which if you haven't had it is something you have to make this instant or at least put on your holiday buffet next year. And while, to be fair, I did add a secret ingredient that let me cut out half the butter with none the wiser (don't ask! don't tell! It's a....banana!!), this is still not something you want to make often if you like closing your jeans. It's a sugar bomb - a genius cross between a side dish and dessert - neither bread nor pudding but some ethereal mix of the two. It's truly heaven on earth. And it's lethal.

"Hello police? Please come right away - I've just killed another batch of cornbread casserole..."

Sweet Cornbread Casserole
* This casserole was made for the sweet/savory hedonistic festival we call a BBQ. Put it next to a big plate of ribs, coleslaw, and deviled eggs.
* You want to cook this until the whole dish has puffed and turned an even golden brown over the top, the edges just getting a little dark - usually about 50 minutes. Let it set up/cool for five minutes before cutting. It will be just a little soft and squishy on the inside but that's the beauty of it. Of course if this bothers you, cover the top and put back in the oven another 10 minutes until completely solid.

Ingredients:
1 banana, well mashed
1/4 cup melted butter
good grating fresh nutmeg
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup light sour cream
1 (8 ounce) box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn (not drained)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease a 9x9 ceramic or glass baking dish and set over a large rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mash a ripe (but not brown) banana with a fork or whisk until slightly pureed. Mix in the butter, nutmeg, sugar, salt and sour cream. Make a well in the center and pour in the jiffy mix. Stir just until blended, then add in the corn kernels (don't forget to drain) and the entire can of creamed corn (don't drain) just until smooth.

Pour into the greased baking dish and bake for 50-55 minutes, until puffed evenly all over, and golden brown. Let set up for 5 minutes before serving with a big spoon.

Failures and Disappointments. Again...

Hi Loves! I hope everyone had a great 4th!

I certainly did - though I usually do as it is also my birthday. I will post pics soon from the night - the Macys fireworks literally went off in front of us on our roof deck. I am certainly saying my blessings more than usual these days...

We had an afternoon barbecue that extended into evening drinks that extended into a late night barbecue that extended into a roof deck so packed full of random strangers that friends and I had to retreat to my living room downstairs just to visit, much like the scene from Breakfast at Tiffany's where Holly Go Lightly and her Brazilian beau use the fire escape to flee her own overgrown party. I had a BLAST.

Anyhow, now that real life has kicked in again, I am feeling the effects of it. I had intended to post tonight about lovely southwestern spiced chicken legs cooked on the grill. And then I got caught up planting my new hydrangeas and begonias (I'm the WORST kind of gardener - I buy plants strictly based on their flower color) and low and behold - my grilling got a little neglected. I literally burned the living crap out of those poor chicken legs. Thank the Lord my asparagus and corn turned out, and as a bonus I discovered my new favorite flavored butter for topping grilled corn with - orange basil butter. It's easier than sex and it goes like this...

Orange Basil Butter
Enough for 2 Corn Cobs, unless you're a Paula Dean fan
* This would also be delicious over roasted asparagus or other vegetables of your choice

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
hefty pinch of orange zest - that of half a medium orange
hefty pinch of sea or kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced basil

Directions:
Melt butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the orange zest and sea or kosher salt (the more the better if you're using unsalted/sweet butter.) Return to the microwave for another 30-45 seconds or until the butter has fully melted and has begun to bubble under the heat. Add the minced basil, swirling or stirring to incorporate, then poor over hot corn cobs.