grandpa's shrimp + corn chowder.

i made this soup during nap time on a good soup day. never mind that for the next week the temperature jumped into the seventies and eighties, and we regretted turning on the heat too early (why is it always too early?? we can never get it right!). for this day, it was a good soup day. and because this is the tundra, there are many good soup days to come...about six months of good soup days. related: why does no one ever want to come visit us here in minnesota?if you look closely, you might notice something funny about this recipe...do you see it?there is no shrimp in the ingredients list.it tells you to add shrimp in the recipe directions, but it doesn't tell you what kind or how much to add! this is why i love family recipes. when there is a typo, or the directions aren't clear enough, i get to make up my own part of the recipe, and in that way, the recipe becomes mine. i made a couple variations on this recipe, so make sure you read the directions closely if you make it. (i definitely added shrimp, i went the easy route and used frozen, but you can be fancy and use raw shrimp. just make sure it's cooked before you add it)i've been more nervous lately when i make these soups. at first i didn't know why, but after this one, i realized what it was. now i'm cooking for my daughter, and even though i know that the opinion of a one year old shouldn't hold that much weight, it does! i find myself holding my breath as she tastes my cooking, especially these special recipes that have been passed down. every time she likes them, i feel a sense of relief and happiness flood over me, like i've made my grandpa proud. i'm passing down his love of cooking and family to her, and even though she's tiny, she makes me feel like i'm doing it right.make this soup for a big group of people when you want a great, homestyle meal without all the work. most of the ingredients are canned, so the prep is really easy, but the outcome is very impressive. sunday dinners would be a great place to try this one out. i'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, i'm just saying.shrimp and corn chowder (makes a smaller batch, enough to serve 4-6. i’d double if you want to freeze any.)

• 1/2 C. celery, chopped
• 1/3 C. onions, chopped
• 1 (2 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (i don't think that cream of shrimp soup exists anymore)
• 1 1/2 C. milk
• 1 can corn, drained (the recipe calls for corn with peppers, which i don't think they make anymore. i cut up half a green pepper and used a small can of green chilies instead, and it was delicious)
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
• 1/2 lb. frozen cooked shrimp, dethawed and detailed
• 1 C. potatoes, cooked and diced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, but highly recommended)

in a medium saucepan, saute celery, onions and mushrooms in the butter until tender, but still crispy. stir in soup and milk. mix well. add corn, green peppers/chilies, shrimp, potato, salt and pepper (cayenne optional). heat until hot and serve. i recommend serving with a hearty bread. we used cheddar and bacon bread from a local bakery here in st. paul, great harvest bakery. yum!

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