Ham Biscuits and Corn Chowder

These are great recipes for early lunch or a late dinner when you have had too much to eat!!!! You can use leftover ham or buy shaved ham for the biscuits. Make them a day ahead if you are having company and pour the butter mixture over just before you pop them in the oven. The chowder is good made a day ahead also. Add a winter fruit salad (fresh pineapple, canned mandarin oranges, apples and grapes) and you are good to go.

Winter Corn Chowder
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
OR 1 lb. (about 10 to 12) gourmet creamy baby Gold or Red potatoes (if using these little guys, boil whole with skins on, then drain and cute into fourths, skins stay on.)

In a pan, cover potatoes with water and add 1 tsp salt. Cover and boil until tender.

2 Tbsp Butter (Land O Lakes is good)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 onion, yellow or white, diced

In a dutch oven, Saute onion in Butter and Oil for 10 minutes until onion is clear.

Add 3 Tbsp flour. Stir and cook for 3 minutes until thick.

5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

Whisk broth into flour mixture.

Bring to a boil until thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients.

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can shoe peg corn, drained
1 can cream style corn
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
3 to 5 dashes tabasco
1 cup half and half (if you want to cut the fat use less half and half and a little more broth. Don’t substitute skim, 1% or 2% milk, because it tends to curdle easily.)

Garnish:
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
You can either garnish with these or put them in the soup.
Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves.
Bacon crumbled (optional but GOOD)

Hawaiian Ham Biscuits