Potato Corn Chowder

This is a recipe from my mother-in-law, so you know it's good. For years I was making some recipe I thought was my mother-in-laws. It wasn't very good, and my husband  thought I was doing something wrong. Finally I called and asked about it, and I had the wrong recipe! So, for the first time last night, I made the real recipe. My husband smiled and said, "yes, this is what I remember". It was very good, and a lot easier then the other recipe I had! It was perfect for our windy, stormy cold day!

Potato Corn Chowder

                             

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 small onion, chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed'*

1 can corn, drained

½ teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces)

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 tablespoon flour

Cook the bacon slowly in large saucepan until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels. Add onions to pan and cook until transparent but not brown. (May drain bacon grease, leaving approx. 1 tablespoon in pan.) Add potatoes, salt, and pepper. Add just enough hot water to pan to cover potatoes. Boil until potatoes are tender, but not overcooked. While potatoes cook, make a roux** (thickener) in small sauce pan, using the butter and flour. Melt the butter and add flour, stirring until combined. Gradually add the canned milk, and whisk until smooth and thickened. Add the roux to the soup and stir until smooth. Add drained corn and heat through. Serve topped with crumbled bacon. 

*My favorite new find is canned potatoes. You can buy them already diced up and everything! They are such a time saver, and you cannot tell the difference. Plus, it takes less time for them to cook. You can find canned potatoes with all the other canned vegetables.  

** If you don't watch food network, you may not know what a roux is, so I will explain what it is, and how to make it.  A roux is a base of flour and fat used to thicken and flavor dishes. Melt  a specific amount of butter in a heavy skillet over very low heat. Gradually sprinkle the hot melted butter with the same proportion of flour and immediately begin stirring. Stir the mixture constantly until it reaches the desired color (A dark roux will thicken less than light roux). Remove from the heat and continue stirring until it has cooled down a bit and there's no risk of burning. If black specks appear in the roux, it has burned and you'll have to start over.