Copycat Panera Bread Summer Corn Chowder! So Yummy! :)

I was SO EXCITED for Dinner on a Dime tonight!
Ever since Panera Bread opened I have been ADDICTED to their Summer Corn Chowder.
So I went in search of the recipe and hit the jackpot!
It was like Christmas morning for me when I found not 1 but 2 recipes for Summer Corn Chowder!
There were some differences in the 2 recipes so I pulled from each recipe what I wanted.

You can find the recipes I used from HERE and HERE!

One thing I have learned from using online recipes is ALWAYS READ REVIEWS! Those who have used the recipe before you know best the tweaks that need to be made! And I'm glad I read them.

Many people complained about the chowder being bland, and it is if you follow the recipe, but that's why you have a spice rack, right?!?!? RIGHT!
After throwing in some spices and extra fresh herbs the chowder was perfect!

Ingredients I Used:
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Potatoes (cut in small squares
2 Bell Peppers (I used one red and one orange)
1 Large Onion
1 Celery Stalk
3 Tbs Flour
5 Cups Vegetable Stock (calls for chicken stock)
4 cups corn (I used frozen)
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
Fresh Cilantro
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (or 2, depending on how spicy you like it)
Salt & Pepper
Pinch Poultry Seasoning
Pinch Celery Salt
Pinch Oregano
(the only seasoning the recipe calls for is salt and pepper, so just use whatever you like)


1. Place the oil and butter in a pot over low heat. Add the diced onion and celery and wilt for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onion; cook, stirring, for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the corn, red and green bell peppers, salt, pepper, and half-and-half; cook over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I added the fresh herbs after 4 minutes then seasoned to taste.)

Tally my Cost:
All I had to purchase for this meal were the 2 potatoes, Heavy Cream, and corn!
I had all the other ingredients already! (Yay for keeping a stocked pantry thanks to couponing)
So my total cost was only $6!!
And it made a TON of soup!

Let me know if you try it!
We will definitely be making this again! :)

Dinner on a Dime. Spaghetti Squash and Green Beans.

I have 2 more recipes to share!
Jonathan and I cooked tonight and made a wonderful meal for really cheap!
(we had plenty leftover so I think it it would definitely feed at least 4)

We had some "Blistered Green Beans" and Spaghetti Squash with Herbs.
Many of the ingredients needed for both dishes are a household staple which always helps to lower the cost of dinner!
(I'm quickly realizing that the more household staples you have, the more great meals you can cook for hardly any cost out of pocket)

I didn't have to get ANYTHING for the Spaghetti Squash since I still had some Squash that my dad had grown in his garden.

And we were able to use our FRESH herbs that we have been growing in out kitchen window seal instead of buying some in the store!

The ingredients are:
Spaghetti squash
Cilantro
Parsley
Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Brown sugar

Even if you did have to purchase items for this dish, it shouldn't have to be that many so your cost will still be low!

HERE is the link for the Spaghetti Squash recipe! :)

The Green beans were definitely my favorite dish of the night!
And soo easy, and also affordable!

The ingredients are:
Green beans
Apple cider vinegar
Garlic
Green onions (it called for shallots but we used what we had to cut cost)
Olive oil
Cilantro (we also used some of our parsley)
(it also called for bacon, but we decided to forgo the bacon due to our dietary lifestyle)

These green beans were really good! It's definitely a dish for cilantro lovers since the bulk of the favors come from the cilantro.
(the recipe calls for it just to be a garnish but I added it for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. I also forgot to get a jalapeño so we just didn't use it)

HERE is the recipe for these AMAZING green beans!

Let's Tally My Cost:
All I had to buy for this entire meal was the green beans which were only $4.57 at Whole Foods!

As good as tonight's meal was, I am SUPER excited about what we are cooking tomorrow! ;)