I swear this is not a food blog!

But, I tried a new recipe tonight that I wanted to share. I have been doing much more cooking lately. I don't know if it's because I'm a married woman now, or because I'm getting "older", or because I wanted to have a better diet instead of eating out all the time but cooking has kind of grown on me. I now have a dinner spreadsheet that I set out menus for weeks in advance and I try at least one new recipe a week. It keeps things interesting and I really have learned a lot from it and I dare say, I have gotten pretty decent at it (in a low level difficulty way-I mean I am not making roux's or using double broilers or anything yet) but I'm working on it.
Since it finally got below 70 degrees this week in Dallas, I thought a good soup recipe would hit the spot. I am a soup person year round so I'll be adding this recipe to my regular rotation.

Poblano Chicken Chowder
courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/8 cup minced garlic
2 to 3 small poblano peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 Tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
3 quarts chicken broth (96 oz)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced
3 cups diced (large pieces) grilled chicken
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, poblano peppers, salt, white pepper, cumin and thyme. Saute for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the chicken bouillon. Add the chicken broth and cilantro, and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chowder is thick and the chicken is heated through. Shortly before the chowder is done, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes to cook the flour. Do not allow the mixture to brown! Ladle 1 cup of the hot liquid from the stockpot into the skillet, whisking constantly.

When the first cup of liquid is incorporated, add another 2 cups of liquid, 1 at a time. Pour the mixture in the skillet into the stockpot, whisking to blend. Cook, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes longer, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the hot sauce, then the cream, and serve.

****Next time I will use less chicken broth, probably 2 1/2 quarts.
****My chowder did not really get thick before adding the flour mixture but after the flour mixture was added it thickened up to a good consistency.