Mexican Street Corn Chowder

This shop/post has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #ItsAMatch #DietCoke #CollectiveBias

Did you catch my post a couple weeks ago for delicious and easy Sweet and Spicy Korean Beef?  If not, here is the link.  I paired that meal with the new Diet Coke® Zesty Blood Orange.  Today, I'm excited to share a different kind of easy recipe for a weeknight dinner, paired with another new flavor: Diet Coke® Ginger Lime.   Instead of one pan on the stove, this recipe uses your slow cooker.  It just has so much flavor!  I set it to cook before work, and when I come home, dinner is ready!

I like to start preparing this dinner the night before. It takes a few minutes to get everything chopped and ready to go in the slow cooker.  The jalapeño pepper and bell pepper can be chopped and placed in air-tight containers overnight, and the potatoes can be peeled and chopped ahead of time, as long as they are stored in water.  That just leaves the onion and garlic to be chopped in the morning.

Ingredients:
-  2 jalapeño peppers, chopped with seeds and membrane removed
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans of corn (15.25 ounces), divided
- 3 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup half and half
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 3/4 cup cotija or queso fresco crumbles
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- Topping ideas - roasted corn kernels, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeño, additional cotija and bacon, sour cream, lime wedges, and diced avocado

Directions:
1. In a blender, puree the jalapeño peppers, 1 cup of the corn, and 1 cup of the chicken broth.
2. Add the corn puree, reserved corn kernels and broth, onion, pepper, garlic, potatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
3. Stir together, cover, and cook for 6 hours on low (or 3 hours on high, if need be).
4. After 6 hours, whisk together the half and half and flour. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
5. Add in the bacon and cheese crumbles as well as the lime juice, stir together, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
6. Serve with your choice of toppings!

Before...

And after 6 hours...

My favorite part of this meal might be all the toppings.  I love a meal where you can "do-it-yourself" and make it your own.  While you're waiting for that final 30 minutes of cooking after you add in the half & half, lime, cheese, and bacon, you can do the final prep here.  Everything just needs to be sliced and chopped, and if you'd like to roast corn kernels like me, I like to use about half a can of corn in a skillet and cook it on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.  It's delicious!

Seriously, how great does this easy meal look?!  Don't forget the Diet Coke, too.  I purchased my Diet Coke Ginger Lime at Harris Teeter, along with all the fresh ingredients for this meal.  In the soft drink aisle, I found 8-packs of these new sleeker cans in Ginger Lime, Zesty Blood Orange, Fiesty Cherry, Twisted Mango, and, of course, Classic Diet Coke varieties.  Don't worry, even though Classic Diet Coke will be in a new can, it's keeping the same great taste its always had!  If you want to grab a Diet Coke on-the-go, you can find single cans by the registers to try for yourself!

Now it's time to eat!  I love this spicy chowder paired with the a dollop of sour cream and even more delicious bacon.  Plus, the Diet Coke Ginger Lime is the perfect pairing with its citrus flavor!

Want to see which Diet Coke flavor matches your taste buds?  Take this quiz and find out!  Let me know in the comments which one you've tried!