Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

This YUMMY recipe if from the August 2011 Cooking Light.

• 6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 cup pre-chopped onion (I cut my own.)
• 1/2 cup pre-chopped celery (I cut my own.)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed (I highly recommend fresh!)
• 2 cups fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth (I use Progresso as it is gluten free)
• 3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (I omitted entirely)

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; saute 4 minutes until the bacon begins to brown. Remove 2 slices bacon. Drain on paper towels. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through minced garlic) to pan, and saute for 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes.
2. Place 2 cups of corn mixture in a blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed corn mixture to pan. Stir in shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done. Stir in half-and-half, pepper and salt. Crumble reserved bacon over soup. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 2/3 cups).

Calories: 294; FAT: 7g (sat 2.7g. mono 1.3g. poly 1.2g) PROTEIN 26.8g CARB 34.8g FIBER 4.3g CHOL 144mg IRON 31mg SODIUM 547mg CALC 94mg