"Soup in a Bag" week: Corn Potato Cheddar Chowder

Print the recipe card! corn potato cheddar chowder – soup in a jar

Last, but certainly not least, we have LeGay who tested out the book “Soup in a Bag” for us. I’d like to send out a big THANK YOU to all three of our testers this week!! I know I’ve got some new soup recipes I’m looking forward to trying out. You guys have been great!!

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My name is LeGay Burrell. I am a stay-at-home Mom to three children ages 17, 10, and 8. I currently live in Kentucky but I am an Arizona girl, born and raised. I have this silly obsession with Mason jars. I love how they look on a shelf, the popping sound they make when they seal… so the idea of meals in a jar is very appealing to me. Moving to Kentucky, where tornado warnings are not uncommon, has helped me to realize how important it is that I become more organized and prepared to feed my family in an emergency.

I was so excited to receive the Soup in a Bag cookbook! I liked it so much, that I immediately ordered both Bread in a Bag cookbooks to go with it. I love soups but my three children aren’t big fans. So, I’ve begun the search for a recipe that will please them. So far, I’ve managed to try 8 out of the 30 recipes. (My dehydrator has been working overtime.) Now, instead of the usual, “What’s for dinner?” my kids are asking, “Are we having soup again?”

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We’ve tried the following soups: Chicken Chili Lime Soup, Italian Pasta Soup, Corn Potato Cheddar Chowder, Cajun Potato Stew, White Bean Soup, Alphabet Soup, Spanish Rice Soup, and Potato Cheese Soup. I listed them in the order of my favorites. However, my favorites were not the family favorites.

Corn Potato Chowder

The soup that managed to please the whole family (almost) would have to be the winner and that was the Corn Potato Chowder. The “add-in” of evaporated milk made it extra creamy and delicious. I did leave the pepper out of the recipe in order to prevent whining from my younger children but that was easy enough for me and the husband to add back in afterwards.

Corn Potato Cheddar Chowder

In Mylar bag:

1 oxygen absorber packet

1 cup dried potato cubes

1 cup dried corn

1 TBS dried onion flakes

Add-in:

1 TBS olive oil

5 1/2 cups water (3 1/2 boiling)

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

In baggie inside Mylar bag:

1/4 cup dry cheddar cheese powder

2 TBS butter powder

1/2 cup dry milk

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. Knorr chicken or vegetable bouillon

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/8 course ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. seasoned salt

To make:

Discard oxygen absorber packet. Pour dried potato chunks, dried corn and dried onion into a bowl. Pour in 3 1/2 cups boiling water. Stir well. Let sit for 1 hour, covered. Vegetables should be tender. In a cold cooking pot, pour 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk. Add 1 TBS olive oil and 2 cups cold water. Whisk to combine. Add seasoning baggie and whisk again thoroughly.

Turn heat to medium and bring liquid to a boil for 1 minute, to thicken. Do not increase cooking temperature. Whisk continually to avoid the milk scorching on the bottom of the cooking pot. Reduce heat to low. Add in the rehydrated corn, potatoes and onion. Stir well. Cook for 5 minutes at a low simmer, stirring constantly.

Serve hot.

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Italian Pasta Soup with Pesto Bread

2^nd place would have to go to the Italian Pasta Soup. My picky eaters didn’t love it as much as I did but they ate it. I used smaller amounts of oregano, garlic, and pepper than the recipe called for and my children still thought there were too many spices. They can be really hard to please. My favorite part of this soup was the parmesan topping. Yum!

Cajun Potato Stew

3^rd place would have to go to the Cajun Potato Stew. This was my husband’s favorite. He found it to be the most filling and full flavored. This one is way too spicy for my younger ones though. We definitely recommend adding the optional sausage.

So, I’m still on the search for the soups that will please everyone’s tastes but I have lots more to try. I actually liked all of the soups except for the Potato Cheese Soup. I’ve discovered that I don’t like the taste of ham TVP, and the flavor is much too strong in this soup. We’ll leave it out next time, and I’m sure everyone will love it.

(Most of these soups need additional salt for my taste, but that is easily added afterwards.)