It's 

Cozy Food Friday

Friends, it's cold outside here in Delaware, and colder still where many of you live. We need some to take the chill off. I have just the thing!

photo property of www.berlyskitchen.com

Ingredients

16 ounces bacon, diced small

1¾ cups onions, diced small

6 scallions/green onions (White ends only), chopped. Set aside chopped         green ends for garnish.

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons butter (Room temperature)

1 cup shredded carrots 

¼ cup all-purpose flour
3¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
3½ cups whole milk

1 can evaporated milk
2½ cups potatoes (yellow work well) diced, (Don't try to be perfect in 

   the dice. It's fun to get some larger pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups yellow corn (Canned is fine, but frozen is better)

1 cup shoe peg corn (Small white kernels) 
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (Don't cheat.  

   shred this yourself. 

photo property of www.delish.com

Directions

   In a stockpot, over medium heat add the bacon cook until crisp, about 10 -15 minutes. Careful not to burn it. 

   Remove bacon and place on paper towels; set aside. Keep the bacon grease in the stockpot.

 
   Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften.

   Add the garlic, mix into cooked onions continuously stirring with wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes.

   Add the shredded carrots and scallion whites and stir with a wooden spoon until mixed with other ingredients.

   Add butter and flour. Whisk continuously until browned.

   Add the chicken broth, both milks potatoes, salt and pepper, bring to a boil. Allow chowder to boil fairly rapidly for 10 - 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally with wooden spoon. (You can add extra stock and milk if chowder is too thick for your tastes.)

   Once potatoes are soft, add the corn, and boil for about 3 minutes.

 
   Reduce heat to low, chop and add the bacon (leave some for garnish).

   Add the cheese slowly. Stir continuously until it melts and combines.

   Taste chowder. Add salt and/or pepper if needed.

   Dip up and garnish with the chopped green onions (green tops), and bacon if you reserved any.

   Serve with crusty, hot, buttered bread.

Note: It's easy to turn this into a sea food chowder by adding shrimp, crab, lobster, or scallops.  Just cook seafood while doing your prep for this. Add the cooked seafood to the chowder when you are adding the bacon in. You can take it up another notch by adding a tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning or other seafood seasoning when you first add salt and pepper. 

photo property of www.belleofthekitchen.com

Don't you feel warmer already?

Let me know if you give this chowder at try!

As always, please leave a comment and 

let me know what you think!

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