Toss potatoes into slow cooker. Guests think that you've slaved over this meal all day

Soup might be my favorite food group. It’s warm, flavorful, and while decadent, never leaves me feeling weighed down. Corn chowder is a perfect example of soup’s goodness, a delicious treat that wraps the bright flavor of sweet vegetables in a creamy broth. The recipe below requires only minutes to throw together but tastes as good as if you’d slaved over it all day.

Using frozen corn instead of canned corn, maximizes sweetness and gives the soup a fresh, bright flavor. In the summer, you could also scrape kernels straight off fresh ears, replacing each cup of frozen corn with the kernels from one cob.

2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 small red potatoes, chopped
4 cups (700 g) frozen corn
1 lb. (450 g) bacon, cooked and crumbled, 1/4 cup reserved
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon (.5 g) dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons (10 g) salt
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) pepper
4 cups (960 ml) chicken broth
1- 12 oz. (340 g) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
2 tablespoons (28 g) butter (optional)

1. Place carrots, celery, onion, garlic, potatoes, corn, bacon, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker and toss to combine.

2. Add just enough chicken stock to cover.

3. Cook on low for 7 1/2 hours, until vegetables are soft.

4. Whisk cornstarch into evaporated milk. Stir into slow cooker along with butter. Cook an additional 30 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with reserved bacon.

Pro Tip: If you’d like a heartier soup to serve as a main dish, add in 2 cups of chopped fully-cooked chicken in step 4.