CORN CHOWDER

AT THE PEAK OF CORN HARVEST I COULDN'T RESIST MAKING THIS SOUP WITH FRESH CORN OF THE COB. IT TASTED GREAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALMOST 80 DEGREES OUTSIDE.
2TBSP BUTTER
1/4 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1 CUP WATER
2 1/2 CUP MILK (SKIM OR 1% WORKS JUST FINE TO LIGHTEN IT UP CONSIDERABLY.
2 REGULAR SIZED CHICK BOUILLON CUBES, 1 KNORR CHICKEN BOUILLON CUBE,
OR 2 TSP. CHICKEN BASE
1/2 LB BACON (OPTIONAL)
1 SMALL ONION MINCED
2 RED POTATOES DICED INTO SMALL CUBES, (I USED MORE)
2-3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
1 CAN CORN, DRAINED, OR APPROZ 1 1/2 CUP FROZEN FRESH CORN
(I USED FRESH CORN CUT OFF THE COB)
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
A FEW DASHES OF HOT SAUCE
FRY BACON UNTIL CRISP. IN THE MEANTIME, MELT BUTTER OVER LOW HEATBIN A SOUP POT. WHEN MELTED, ADD FLOUR TO MAKE A ROUX AND WHISK UNTIL IT COMPLETELY COMBINED AND THERE ARE NO LUMPS. ADD MILK AND BASE OR BOUILLON AND BRING TO A SIMMER. ADD POTATOES, ONIONS AND GARLIC. SIMMER, BUT DON'T BOIL, STIRRING VERY FREQUENTLY, FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL POTATOES ARE TENDER. ADD CRUMBLED BACON AND CORN AND HEAT THROUGH. ADD A FEW DROPS OF HOT SAUCE AND THEN SALT TO TASTE. THIS IS BECAUSE THE SOUP MAY NOT NEED MUCH SALT SINCE THE BACON CAN BE SALTY.
CAN TOP SOUP WITH CHEESE AND EXTRA BACON IF YOU WANT.