Creamy Ham and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1 ham bone with at least one cup of meat still on it
• water - just enough to cover the ham bone
• 4 Tblsp. butter
• 4 Tblsp. flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1½ cups frozen corn
• 1 Tblsp. dried minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt, pepper & paprika to taste

Directions:

Crack the ham bone with a mallet. Place in a large pot and add water to cover. Simmer over medium heat for at least 30 minutes. Remove the bone and cut off any remaining meat. Increase heat on the broth and reduce it to about 2 cups. Skim the fat from the broth as you cook it.

Melt butter in a large pan. Remove from heat and add flour slowly, mixing until smooth. Slowly add 1 cup milk. Return pan to stove and cook over low heat until milk thickens. Stir in corn, ham, onion and garlic. Slowly stir in remaining milk and ham broth (add the broth slowly - you may not need all of it to get the desired consistency. Freeze any remaining broth for later use).

Cook on low for 15 minutes, but do not boil. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste.