Home cooking is time well spent on cool autumn days. People are always so impressed whenever the kitchen is warm and fragrant from simmering soups and spicy baked goods. These two chowder recipes are for hearty homemade soups, each one thick with vegetables.

The term "chowder" is far broader in culinary meaning than just a clam concoction. A chowder can be any thick soup made with clams, fish or vegetables.

Stretching the definition a bit further is this Country Pumpkin Chicken Chowder. It's a broth-based soup (no milk or cream), yet the mixture is thick and soothing _ ultra-nutritious _ with rice, corn, red bell pepper and pumpkin puree.

This chowder also contains boneless, skinless chicken-breast chunks. It's yet another easy way to turn chicken breasts into something nourishing and maybe more interesting. With this soup, few people will come to the table and say, "Chicken again?"

The Cheddar Potato Chowder has universal appeal, with its soothing, comfort-food quality and golden color. Gild each serving, if you like, by adorning it with crisp bacon bits and chopped chives.

COUNTRY PUMPKIN CHICKEN CHOWDER

1 tablespoon oil

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut bite-size

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

3-1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth (two 14-1/2-ounce cans)

1-3/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin (16-ounce can)

1/2 cup frozen whole-kernel corn

1/4 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or use hot sauce to taste

Yield: 6 cups

Prep/cooking: 40 minutes

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Saute until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender. Serve warm.

CHEDDAR POTATO CHOWDER

3 tablespoons butter

2 medium carrots, peeled, diced

2 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 small onion, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cups milk

2 chicken-flavor bouillon cubes

2 cups water

4 medium russet potatoes, about 1-3/4 pounds

1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, and chopped chives or green-onion tops for garnish

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

Simmering: 25 minutes

In a 3-quart pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion; cook until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in flour, dry mustard, paprika and pepper. Cook 1 minute.

Gradually add milk, bouillon, water and potatoes. Over high heat, heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat; stir in cheese, just until melted. If you like, top each serving with crumbled bacon and chopped chives.

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In our Oak Hill Country Store Book Shop we have a listing of excellent "Cooking with Wine" Cookbooks. Click here to check them out.