Easy and Delicious Corn Chowder

This corn chowder recipe was created as part of the Cans Get You Cooking campaign with the Mom It Forward Blogger Network.

Creating healthy homemade meals for my family is super important to me but, with our busy schedule, saving prep time is also important.  That’s why I keep my pantry stocked with canned goods.  My “cantry” ensures I can serve my family a nutrititious meal anytime.  This easy and delicious corn chowder is a go-to recipe made mostly from canned goods … the perfect meal to throw together before running off to the next activity!

Canned items aren’t always the first ingredient I think of but did you know that, according to a University of California, Davis study, many canned fruits and vegetables have equal or more nutrients than their fresh or frozen counterparts?  The canning process locks in nutrients at the peak of ripeness, just hours after picking, so you can have farm to the family table goodness any time.  Cans seal in freshness, flavor, nutrition, and goodness in the same method of preservation our grandparents used years ago.

Keeping these canned goods in your pantry means you can always make this delicious meal without having to worry about the ingredients going bad.  Did you know that most Americans throw away spoiled fruits and vegetables two times a week on average, wasting 15 to 20 percent of fresh food per year?

To make this corn chowder, you’ll need the following canned items: 2 cans of Del Monte Diced New Potatoes, 2 cans of Del Monte Gold and White Corn, 1 can of Del Monte Southwest Corn with Poblano and Red Peppers, 2 small cans of Del Monte Cream Style Corn, and 1 can of Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles.  {I found all of these canned items at Walmart.}  You’ll also need 1 onion, 2 slices of bacon, 3 cups of vegetable stock, 1 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Chop the bacon slices and dice the onion then cook them together over medium heat until the bacon is cooked and the onion is tender.

Add the vegetable stock, the canned items, and the spices and cook over medium low heat until warm.  Stir in the milk and continue to cook over medium low heat until heated through.

Serve with a loaf of fresh bread and enjoy this delicious meal that takes just minutes to make!

Need one more reason to stock your own cantry?  Metal cans are endlessly recyclable.  They’re the most recycled containers in America today with nearly 80-90% of all steel ever produced still in use today.

Be sure to visit the Cans Get You Cooking site and follow along on facebook, twitter, pinterest, and youtube.