Bacon and Corn Chowdah

This isn't just any ol' corn chowder (pronounced "chowdah" if you're from Boston, but I'm not); this is corn chowder done my way: with bacon. And it's delicious, if I do say so myself. I grew up in a farming town where there was lots of corn and I love eating fresh corn in the summer. Use fresh corn if you can get it, but frozen corn will be great too. Just don't use canned corn or it will be mushy.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz bacon, a little goes a long way
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 large (or 2 small) potato, peeled and cut into medium-small cubes
• 2-3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob - frozen is okay too
• 1 cup milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)
• 6 oz sharp cheddar, grated
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut bacon into penny-size pieces and cook in soup pot until crispy. Remove bacon and place over paper towel to absorb excess grease.
2. Leaving bacon grease in pot, add onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until soft.
3. Sprinkle in flour and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add potato and chicken broth, and cook until potatoes are tender.
5. Add milk and corn and bring up to a low simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, but do not let it come to full boil.
6. Stir in cheese and allow it to melt. Also add in the cooked bacon. Using immersion blender, blend to desired chunkiness. I blended about half so it's creamy and still pretty chunky.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.