Garden Vegetable Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons margarine
• 1 (16 oz.) package frozen corn kernels
• 2 small red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 small zucchini, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves (about 5 ounces)

Instructions

1. Melt the margarine in heavy large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the corn, yams, celery, zucchini, carrot, onion, thyme and bay leaves. Sauté until the vegetables are light brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer soup until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from soup.
3. Puree 2 1/2 cups of the soup/vegetables in blender until smooth.
4. Return puree to remaining soup. Add spinach and simmer until wilted, about 10 minutes.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.