Dinner Chowder

Oh my my! Vegetarians of Maine (and everywhere else), you need this recipe in your life! And, non-vegetarians, too! The person who submitted this recipe calls it "the perfect comfort food." Ironically, at the same time that I was making this chowder in the kitchen, my husband dished himself up some pork with mashed potatoes and asparagus (and yes, he is a meat-and-potatoes kinda guy). He returned to the kitchen for seconds, and said, "this is the perfect comfort food," referring to the meal he was eating. I agreed that it looked delicious. But me, I am perfectly happy with a non-meat meal any day of the week, and this one is going to be right at the top of my list, when I want veggie comfort food.

It is what I might call an "empty-the-fridge-and-pantry" meal. Really, it's just what you have on hand. Potatoes, carrots, onion, cabbage, celery, a nice white sauce (I used whole milk, but you could go with skim or even almond milk), and toss in some shredded cheese. And I confess that I'm not the world's greatest bechamel-maker, but this one turned out miraculously perfect. Imagine that. A bechamel cooking miracle in the parsonage kitchen. Will wonders never cease!

I fell in love with the creaminess of this chowder. And the vegetable-y-ness, if that is a word, or even if it isn't. The recipe did call for crushed tomatoes, put in at the end of the cooking. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not that I don't love tomatoes. I do, I do. But I just had this feeling that the chowder was perfect without tomatoes. Save the tomatoes for another day, another recipe. This chowder is great just the way it is. I'm looking forward to trying leftovers tomorrow, as the flavors blend overnight.