My daughter and I love Café Zupas, and she absolutely loves their Garden Chowder. She had a craving for the soup last night, and with the fact that she’s had a super stressful week (yes, it’s only Tuesday), I thought I’d make her favorite soup to cheer her up.
I found a recipe online that sounded good, but after reading through it, I saw that it used 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, and a large can of evaporated milk. I loved the ingredients, but decided to make a lighter version by adding only ¾ cup cheddar cheese, 1 small (5 oz.) can of evaporated milk, and only the half of the Parmesan cheese. I think it turned out great and so did my daughter. Oh, and I added chopped carrots as well (for me)!
The good news is she loved the soup, and it did help cheer her up. My husband even got in on the action and grabbed a bowl, and then another. I’ll say it was a homerun. This recipe is a keeper. Enjoy!
TTFN,
The Baroness
- 3 TBS salted butter
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 TBS fresh basil, chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3-4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 small (5 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 small (12 oz) bag frozen corn
- 3 TBS Parmesan cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Over medium heat, sauté the onions, carrots, parsley and basil until onions are translucent and carrots start to soften.
- Add the zucchini and continue to sauté until vegetables are tender.
- Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated. Slowly stir in chicken broth, add bay leaf and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
- Add tomatoes, milk, and corn. Reduce heat and cover for 5-10 minutes until corn and tomatoes are cooked and tender.
- Just before serving, stir in cheeses and continue stirring until melted.
- Top with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.