Don't Stew Over It! (Chicken Alfredo Chowder and White Winter Stew)

Around this time of year, I start to yearn for soups and stews...those hearty meals in a bowl that remind me of cold days in my childhood, along with the crusty breads Mom used to make in order to mop up all the stock and sauce. In early October in Phoenix, it's still too hot to spend all day simmering stocks on the stove, so I went out searching for quicker, easier methods to satisfy that comfort-food craving (without going to a restaurant). I found these two, both of which are terrific, and couldn't be easier to prepare. Don't forget to buy a loaf of french bread from the grocery, or a can of Pillsbury's bread sticks to have with these dishes.


Chicken Alfredo Chowder


Yield:4 servings, total time, prep to finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package CONTESSA CHICKEN ALFREDO Convenience Meal
• 1 15 ounce can CORN
• 1 cup SOUR CREAM
• 2 cups MILK
• 2 cups MONTEREY JACK CHEESE, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon CAYENNE PEPPER
• SALT to taste
• BASIL for garnish (optional)
• BREAD STICKS (optional)

Steps:

In a large soup pot combine the Contessa Chicken Alfredo, corn, sour cream, milk, cheese, and cayenne pepper together.

Simmer the mixture (DO NOT boil) on low heat for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is completely cooked through.

Garnish with basil and serve with Pillsbury bread sticks, or fresh crusty bread, like French or Italian bread. If you really want to blow their skirts up, serve this in a fresh bread bowl!

We thank Joni Hilton for creating this fantastically easy soup – she won $1,000 from Contessa Premium Foods for this chowder, and it’s worth every penny.

Winter White Stew (Chili)

Yield: 6 servings, 30 minutes total time, prep to finish.





Ingredients:

• 1 package Tyson® Fresh Reduced Fat GROUND PORK, 1 lb.
• 1 medium ONION, diced
• 1 can CHICKEN BROTH, 14 oz.
• 1 tablespoon ground CUMIN
• 2 teaspoons CHILI POWDER
• 1 can WHITE BEANS, 16 oz., drained
• 1 can CORN, 14 oz., drained, and,
• 1 can GREEN CHILES, 4 oz., diced

Steps:

Crumble up and brown pork with onion in large saucepan. Add cumin and chili powder; stir well.

Stir in all remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and flavors are blended.

Serving Suggestion: If you're from the southwest, serve with hot cornbread (if you haven't tried Marie Callendar's Cornbread mix, you're missing out) instead of french bread and fresh fruit; I like to top the stew/chili with a dollop of sour cream for a piquant contrast.


Auntie Tip: You can make this White Winter Stew with any leftover pork from a roast; simply brown the onions, adding the leftover meat when the onions begin to become transparent; when the meat and the onions have both browned slightly, add the rest of the ingredients and cook the 15 or 20 minutes until the stew is ready. You could also substitute 1/2-lb. of chicken for 1/2 of the pork to create a variation and to make use of leftovers.

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