Tomato Corn Chowder — The Lockdown Sunday

The diversion-court arrangement fell through Friday afternoon. The prosecutor reviewed the file and declined the diversion based on the prior. Cody’s sentencing hearing is Monday March thirtieth. Mrs. Patel is pushing for the lesser-charge plea with a county-jail term, twelve to twenty-four months. We are not going to know until Monday.

And the world has changed. COVID lockdown went into effect statewide Tuesday March seventeenth. Schools closed. The University of Tulsa sent the freshmen home Friday March thirteenth, two days before the official lockdown, and the rest of my second semester is online. I drove home Friday afternoon with everything I owned in the trunk of the Cavalier. The dorm is closed. The campus is closed. The household has me back full-time. Mama is still working — Dollar General is now classified as an essential business and the demand has been a wave.

The recipe Sunday was tomato corn chowder — canned tomatoes and frozen corn simmered with onion, garlic, potato, and a touch of cream. The kind of pantry-staple soup the lockdown-week needed. Total: $5.40 for three meals.

The recipe is below.

Tomato Corn Chowder

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups frozen or fresh corn kernels
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions for topping

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, about 5–6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
2. Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the bacon drippings and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Build the base. Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, and thyme, coating the vegetables in the spices. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and broth. Stir to combine.
4. Add the corn. Stir in the corn kernels. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
5. Stir in the cream. Pour in the heavy cream and stir gently. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Simmer for another 5 minutes—do not boil after adding cream.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with reserved bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, and sliced green onions. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 220 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 540mg