Its cold here. Finally, it feels like fall should. This week the temps are in the 30-40's. No snow yet, but definitely freezing!
Appropriately, I decided that we should eat something that was a staple in a hearty fall diet. CHOWDER!
Seriously, I have the best recipe ever:

1/2 cup cooked diced bacon
4 medium potatoes, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 ribs of diced celery
2 cups water
2 cans corn
3 tlbs butter
1 can chicken stock
1/2 tsp Garlic salt
2 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
2 cups half-and-half

Preparation:
Sauté bacon until browned and crisp; add chopped potatoes and onions and celery. Add chicken stock, corn, and seasonings; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. on Medium heat, in separate pot melt butter, add 1 tbsp flour, stir until creamy add all but 1/3 of the half and half slowly to mixture, stirring constantly. In a bowl, mix 1/3 half and half to 2 tbsp flour (we are making a roux here). Slowly pour this cold mixture into the warming cream on stove. Heat until it starts to come to a small boil (make sure to regularly stir). Add to pot with corn and potato's.
Feeds 5-6 adults.

I made honey cornbread on the side. It was delicious!!! And Zachary ate 2 bowls! Although, I think the Ritz crackers were more the appeal there. But, my family loved it. Even picky MIKE ate it with "green thingys" in it.

The word Chowder comes from the French chaudière kettle, from Late Latin caldaria — or cauldron.
When I think of the word chowder, I think of ciao- ---like goodbye in Italian.
Ciao means literally in Italian, "(I am your) slave", from Medieval Latin.

Hum...well, Ciao Chowder!,.. I will always be your slave, you delicious soup! See you soon, my temping mouthful of goodness.