Corn Chowder with Chiles

I don't call this "spaghetti sauce" because you can use it on just about any type of pasta. And yes, it has carrots in it. Deal.

Ingredients:

• 4 strips bacon, coarse chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarse chopped
• 8 oz red potato, coarse chopped
• 2 ears corn, kernels removed
• 1 Poblano or Anaheim chili pepper, deveined and seeded, coarse chopped
• 14 oz chicken broth
• 2 large thyme sprigs (At least 3" long)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

Production:

• Place the bacon in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until light brown.
• Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.
• Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes or until the onion just begins to soften.
• Add the potato, corn kernels, and chili pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring continually.
• Add the chicken broth and cover. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.
• Add the thyme and salt, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
• Increase the heat to medium, stir in the cream, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Remove the thyme sprigs and serve with crusty bread.

Dilled Salmon Papillotes with Goat Cheese

I don't call this "spaghetti sauce" because you can use it on just about any type of pasta. And yes, it has carrots in it. Deal.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

• 4 4-oz salmon fillets

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• 1 1/4 cup fresh minced dill

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

• 4 sheets parchment paper, 15" long

Production:

• Preheat your oven to 350º.

• Fold each parchment sheet in half and cut a large heart shape using the crease as the center of the heart.

• In a small non-reactive saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool. The vinegar will thicken as it cools.

• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

• Rub each salmon fillet one quarter of the spice mixture.

• Place a piece of salmon, skin-side down, on one side of the heart. Fold over the other half of the of the heart to enclose the salmon. Starting at the top of each heart, make small overlapping folds to seal the edges together. At the bottom of the heart, twist the last fold a couple of times and tuck it under the make a tight seal. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

• Transfer each packet to a dinner plate and let sit for 5 minutes. Carefully cut an "X" in the top of each packet to allow the steam to escape, then remove the salmon to plates.

• Drizzle each salmon fillet with the vinegar sauce and top with the crumbled goat cheese.