Po-tay-toes

When I was younger (okay ... today still) my favorite joke was about three robbers who break into a barn. The farmer goes around the barn and asks the cow if there's a robber back there, to which the robber, hidding behing the cow, replies "moooo!" Anyway then the farmer moves around the animals and finally onto a sack of potatoes... "Anybody back there?" And the robber goes "POOO-TAY-TOES!!" Ha. Makes me laugh every time.

So as you can tell the star of the dish is PO-TAY-TOES. I was so so excited that my CSA would be delivering freshly dug potatoes from the farm this week. I had heard and read that you have never truly had a potato until you've had a fresh potato. I also had some leftover corn from the previous week's delivery. Perfect for the soup I wanted to try.

Grilled Potato and Corn Chowder

Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Put a grill basket on the grill to warm it up.

* (I really went out on a limb here people, I NEVER grill, I had to call my husband to see how to turn it on. Guess what... its sooo easy I can't believe I thought it was some magical tool only Kevin could use. But you could skip this step altogether if you need and just boil all the veggies, and even used canned corn if you're really pressed. Whatever works!)

Place ~7 red potatoes with 2 teaspoons salt in a saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes, and then let it stand in the hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and cut into 1/4 inch cubes.

Place 3 ears of shucked corn on the grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place chopped potatoes in grill basket coated with cooking spray and grill both 15 minutes or until slightly charred.

When corn cools:

• cut kernels from cob
• Place 1 cob worth of kernels in a food processor with 1/3 cup half and half and process until smooth.

Sautee 1/4 cup chopped onion in 1 tbl of butter. Add salt and pepper (red pepper if you have it). Stir in potatoes, remaining corn kernels, 2 cups reduced fat milk, pureed mixture, and 2 thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and add 3 tbl finely chopped chives. Let it sit and thicken up.

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I had to supplement my fresh potatoes with 2 from the store because I didnt have enough. You wouldn't believe the difference - when I sliced the fresh potatoes they were golden inside, pumped full of nutrients, with a naturally buttery tatse. I couldn't stop popping little pieces in my mouth. The ones from the store were white and flavorless. Potatoes are in season so go to your farmers market and get your potatoes this weekend!!

And about CORN... did you know that corn is a grain? It delivers all the same nutritional benefits of other grains; reduced risk of stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Its rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help reduce the risk of age related macular degeneration. You can't beat fresh, but frozen kernels are almost identical nutritionally.