Salmon & Corn Chowder

+ Kissing Tonsils

We have made many variations of this chowder, and it's never been bad. Sometimes we use potatoes instead of beans, sometimes we use leeks instead of onion, sometimes we add chile powder or minced jalapeño. The two constants are salmon and fresh corn.

This is a wonderful, flexible meal for the summer months when corn is sweet and delicious. We like to eat it with a thick slice of bread, or even better yet, croutons. And the hot sauce at the end is key--the more vinegary, the better!

4 oz chopped bacon or pancetta (if using pancetta, you might need to add 1 tbsp olive oil)

1 onion chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Corn kernels cut from 2 ears of fresh corn

1 tsp Worcestershire (optional--not sure if this really added much flavor)

3 to 4 cups bean-cooking broth or other broth

1 lb salmon, cubed

2 cups cooked Yellow Eye or white beans

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sliced green onion or jalapeños for garnish

Hot sauce for serving

Rustic toasted bread or croutons for serving

Serves 4

Warm a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and saute until the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and transfer to a plate. Set aside. Add the onion, celery, and bay leaf to the pot. Saute until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Add the corn and continue to cook for another 5 or so minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce (if using), raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add the salmon and beans and cook until the salmon is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, and return the bacon to the pot. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Serve topped with sliced green onions or jalapeños and plenty of hot sauce and bread.

Kissing Tonsils

My younger daughter has been to the doctor A LOT in her four years of life. Every time a doctor or nurse (or dentist) looks down her throat, there is a gasp, followed by "Woah, she has big tonsils!" Recently we discovered they are known as "Kissing Tonsils" because they are almost touching, or kissing, in the back of her throat. She snores a lot at night, and makes other scary noises where it's unclear whether air is getting through to her lungs.

It turns out she has moderate sleep apnea, probably in part due to those gigantic tonsils. So, we are following the doctor's recommendation and next week she is getting her tonsils removed. They sent me a cool "Surgery Preparation" coloring book to print out and go through with her, and she loves it. My older daughter commented: "It's like they are trying to make it sound fun." She's wise beyond her years.

We've told her that she gets to eat Jello and ice cream and watch TV for a week after the surgery, so she is actually super excited. We are trying to remind her that there will be pain involved too, but she is of course fixated on treats and TV.

I'm slightly terrified at the thought of her lying lifeless on a gurney while some surgeon digs around in her throat. It's crazy where you mind can wander when you are a parent. I've turned into such a worrier. Maybe they can slip some of the "happy juice" that they'll be giving her to relax!