Cheesy corn, ham & potato chowder

Fall is in the air & it's making this girl hungry for some soups, stews & chilis!
Tonight Cheesy corn ham, & potato chowder is cooking up in the crock pot. It's tasty the day of, but soooo freakin' good the day after! Happy Eating! :)

1.5 cups milk (or less depending on how you want the consistancy)
1 can cream corn
1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
1 can diced new potatoes (drained)
1 cup (plus or minus) ham or smoked sausage, chopped
1 cup cheddar, swiss or gouda

In a crock pot or large pot, stir milk and cream corn. Add ham, potatoes, and cream corn. Heat all the way through. Add cheese at the end & you've got dinner!

Comfort Food

I'm very excited for fall food. My tummy has already started craving the slow-cooked yumminess! :)
In honor of the cold fron that's sneaking in, I'm posting a chili recipe. Mind you...I haven't had it, BUT it's healthy and looks tasty. Happy homecookin!

Pantry Chili15oz can-Organic Black Beans
15oz can-Organic Kidney Beans
15oz can-Organic Garbanzo Beans
30oz can-Organic Diced Tomatoes
15oz can-Organic Creamed Corn
4oz can-Diced Fire Roasted Green Chilis
1 packet Taco Seasoning
Drizzle of Olive Oil
4 Tbsp BBQ Sauce

Mix all ingredients in a pot & simmer for 25 mins! Done! :)

Evaluation: Roasted Tomatoes (A+++)

I don't know how I came across this recipe, but I'm sure glad I did. I'm normally not a huge fan of tomatoes in general, but I could eat this dish all day everyday. This is a great & easy recipe that could be a side dish, appetizer or garnish. (It's listed as a side on the blog).
There something about the caramelized balsamic vinegar that puts a huge smile on my face.
Plus, mincing garlic make my day!

Evaluation: Green Bean & Nectarine Salad (A+)

As a picky eater, I was very unsure if I'd like this dish. Saturday, Cheri, Brianna & Calvin, came over a a little dinner party and this was the opening number.
I actually followed the recipe exactly (you won't read that often)! It was quick and very simple to make.
Evaluation: A+
This dish was amazing. I'm not a huge fan of fruit mixed with anything besides fruit. I'm also not a fan of fruit that has been warmed, but this dish has made me a convert (not overall, just this recipe). The sweetness of the nectarines complimented the the beans very well. I would have never thought of putting these ingredients together! I will most definitely be making this again. This is the perfect accessory to any summertime meal! :)

Evaluation: Roasted Tomato Bread Toss (C+)

I paired the side dish above with steak. For those of your lucky enough to see the rant this caused on FB, please make sure you are more careful about mentioning this than I am!
I made some edits to this recipe. As we all know, I am no fan of olives, therefore the olives did not debut. The bread I used was a multi-grain baguette (very delicious). Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly (the ingredients). The directions were simple to follow.
Overall, I'd rate this dish a C+. It's, essentially, caprese salad (which we all know I love) minus the cheese & basil. The smell is unbelievable, but the taste was less than noteworthy. I did sprinkle some white sharp cheddar on top which gave it a little boost! Not too sure I'd make this again. Could be a nice & simple opener for an Italian meal.

Good Eats

In an "effort" to do more cooking and with the intention of hosting more dinner parties, I've decided to add this page. I'm hoping that at least once a month I will try out a new dish and let you know how it goes. If there's a staple in your rotation (that I haven't tried or need to gently be reminded of), please share it!
FYI: By NO means am I trying to master the art of French cooking! It's not that I can't do it, it's just that I realllly like my arteries...just sayin.