Corn Chowder

Ingredients
1 lb. raw bacon - coarsely chopped
1 lrg. onion - minced
2 Tbls. butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups canned evaporated milk
3 cups 2% milk
5 med. potatoes - peeled, diced, boiled
1 can corn nibblets - drained
3 Tbls. brown sugar dissolved in 1/8 cup warm water
1/4 cup dried sweet basil
1/4 cup parsley flakes
5 bay leaves
salt and pepper - to taste

Directions
In a large pot, cook bacon and onion in butter until bacon is crispy.
-Stir in flour.
-Add canned milk, a cup at a time, slowly stirring after each cup is added. Stir in 2% milk the same way.
-Add remaining ingredients.
-Simmer, stirring constantly, until potatoes are tender and soup is thickened.

Notes: For variations, you can substitute clams for the corn to make clam chowder OR
 remove corn to make potato chowder. The possibilities are unlimited.