Corn, Potato and Bacon Chowder

01Place the finely chopped bacon in a small heavy skillet or non-stick pan over low heat. Cook the bacon until it is very crisp and all of the fat has rendered out. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and using a wooden spoon stir the flour into the rendered bacon fat until the flour has absorbed all of it. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the flour to a bowl and set it aside.

02Combine the corn, creamed corn, diced potatoes, onions, and 7 cups of the skim milk in a large heavy bottom pot. Stir well. Cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender.

03Heat the remaining 1 cup of skim milk in the microwave or on the stove until it is slightly warm but not hot. Beat together the warm skim milk and the reserved flour/bacon fat mixture until it is smooth. Bring the corn & potato mixture to a boil and carefully add the milk/flour mixture while you stir the chowder. The Chowder will begin to thicken. Stir in the reserved crumbled cooked bacon.

04Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.