by Elaine Barrett

Now that winter is finally here it’s time for a hot bowl of hearty soup for dinner. This recipe has quite a few ingredients but the cooking part of making dinner is really pretty simple. Hope you enjoy this soup!

Shrimp-Corn Chowder

5 strips of bacon

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup diced or shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped onions

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups water

1 bay leaf

2 cups diced potatoes

Salt

Pepper.

1 large can evaporated milk

1 to 1 1/2 pounds peeled shrimp

1 large can cream style corn

Fry bacon in Dutch oven until crisp.  Set aside. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of grease; saute’ celery, carrots and onions. Stir in flour. Add water bay leaf potatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 1/2 hour. Add evaporated milk, peeled shrimp and corn. Simmer until shrimp are pink. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon before serving

Elaine Barrett, along with husband, Rick, owns and operates The Flower Gazebo on Washington St., in downtown Albany and is part of a family of excellent southern cooks. She recently she has written and published a cookbook, “In the Kitchen with Elaine”.