Chicken Vegetable Chowder

Okay, the mercury in Sacramento may still be in the 90s, but it's FALL, doggone it, and we're going to eat chowders.  This recipe won me a thousand buckaroos in a contest sponsored by Contessa Food Products and you are going to love how super easy it is.
First of all, do you know this line of frozen convenience meals?  They're a boon for busy families who want dinner in a hurry-- and this is just one way to remake them into another delicious comfort food:

1 pkg. Contessa Chicken Alfredo Convenience Meal
1 (15 oz.) can corn
1 Cup sour cream
2 Cups milk
2 Cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
basil for garnish
salt to taste
bread sticks (optional)

In a large soup pot combine the Contessa Chicken Alfredo, corn, sour cream, milk, cheese, and cayenne pepper.  Simmer (do not boil) on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until mixture is completely cooked through. Garnish with basil and serve with bread sticks.  Serves 4 (and doubles well)

Jamaican Seafood Chowder

For a few years there it seemed I was creating tons of recipes with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning in them-- it figured into that delicious Eggs Benedict that won me a killer trip to France, and now it figures into a delicious chowder that won a Caribbean cruise for the family.
If you like seafood, you'll love this-- and it's so easy because there's no meat to cook up ahead of time.  It's both creamy and spicy, but not so spicy that it overwhelms the flavor of the seafood.  It was sponsored by Chicken of the Sea, so I used several of their products and the result is truly scrumptious:

1 (6 oz.) can Chicken of the Sea shrimp, drained
1 (6 oz.) can Chicken of the Sea crab meat, drained
1 (6 oz.) can Chicken of the Sea minced clams, drained
1 (6.5 oz) Rice-a-Roni Red Beans and Rice mix
2 Cups lite sour cream
3 Cups milk
4 Cus grated pepper jack cheese (or use regular Monterey Jack for a milder version)
2 Tbsp. Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (Schilling/McCormick)
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
1 (5 oz.) can mild chopped green chilies
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Cup grated cheddar cheese, optional

In a large kettle, prepare rice according to package instructions.  Over moderately low heat, add shrimp, crab, clams, sour cream, milk, pepper jack cheese, and jerk seasoning.  Heat until cheese melts, but do not boil.  Stir in corn, chilies, and lime juice.  Serve hot, sprinkled with cheddar cheese. Add some crusty bread and you'll feel transported to a fisherman's wharf in the Caribbean.