<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/insidevoice/308775416/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/114/308775416_e1f4201348.jpg" width="500" height="333" style="border:2px solid #999;" alt="Hominy chowder recipe" /></a><br /><br />I've been trying to use up the odd cans of stuff in the cupboard. And the one-third-full condiments in the fridge. And the half bags of pasta, the bags of rice with half a cup left, etc. It's Use What's In The Cupboard/In The Fridge/Already Open Week.<br /><br />I made the chowder featured on this hominy <a href="http://www.insidevoice.net/archives/2006/11/whats_for_dinne.html">can</a> with a few modifications.  I didn't  have any ham, but I did have a few slices of bacon. So I started off by chopping and cooking the bacon (after trimming off as much fat as I could), and then used the bacon fat to saute the rest of the veggies and potatoes. I followed the rest of the recipe pretty closely, except for one thing. The liquid in the hominy can tasted like chemical brine, so I drained and rinsed the hominy and added a little water instead.<br /><br />Oh, and I added some frozen cooked corn (the rest of a bag in the freezer) to brighten the soup up a bit. And also to use up the rest of the bag.<br /><br />I served it with fresh <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?ex=1164862800&en=8231b8fd0e89ee3b&amp;ei=5070">home-made bread</a> and salad with delicious pickled beets from the Farmers Market.<br /><br />Tasty! And now there's one less can in the cupboard.