Creamy Potato Chowder

Winter just keeps lingering.  I don't know why but for some reason I keep thinking that --now that I have outlasted January--the sun should shine and the snow should melt.  Not so.  The nasty little winter storms do provide a couple of nice opportunities for those searching.
First is that it keeps soup season alive and we love soups at our house.  Second it keeps two of my boys busy with their snow shovels.  I am actually pretty proud of these two as they set out in the old truck to shovel a few walks for a couple of widows in the neighborhood. ( I refrain from following them and telling them they have missed a spot.)  Service is always a good idea and I am pretty proud of them.  So on a blustery day as they set out to do a good deed, I set about making one of their favorites dishes;  Creamy Potato Chowder.  There are as many variations of this dish as you can imagine.  Sometimes we add scrambled sausage,  sometimes we add a can of creamed corn, sometimes we load it up with cheese-- but it is always topped with bacon and served with what we call "cheezers".    Get the basic recipe down and then add the ingredients you love.  My husband wants to try it with clams.  I told him to shovel some driveways of  the elderly and we will talk.  So here's how it goes.

In a large pot combine the onion, carrots, potatoes, bouillon cubes, parsley, salt, pepper and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

The water should just barely cover the vegetables as they sit in the pot.  Once the vegetables are tender add the butter, whole milk and cream and return to a low boil.  Thicken with remaining milk and flour mixture simmering for an additional 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and serve with garnishes of your choice.

Bring it on February, soups on!

Creamy Potato Chowder  by Sweet Suppertime

1 onion chopped
4 large potatoes cubed (about six cups)
3 medium carrots grated (about two cups)
1 Tablespoon Parsley
8 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
approximately 6 cups water or just enough to cover the vegetables as they sit in your pot

Bring the above ingredients to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add:
1/4 cup butter ( i like to use bacon grease if I have it)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream

Bring to a nice simmer and thicken with:
1 1/2 cups additional whole milk mixed with 1/2 cup flour.  Stir this until the lumps disappear.  Add thickening to soup stirring constantly. ( I pour this through a sieve as I put it into the simmering pot of soup to prevent lumps)
Return to a simmer for three minutes, uncovered.  Remove from heat and serve.

If you are not going to serve this immediately, cover it with a lid to keep it from forming a film on top of the soup.  Garnish it with grated cheese, bacon and parsley.