Creamy Ham And Corn Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 ham bone, with at least 1 cup of meat remaining on bone
water, to cover
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (whole milk preferred)
1 cups frozen corn or (15 ounce) can corn
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes or 1/4 cup freshly minced onion
1 -2 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, to taste

Preparation

On a firm non-breakable surface, take a clean hammer and crack the middle of the ham bone so that marrow can escape during cooking.
Place ham bone flat in the bottom of a pot and add enough water to just cover.
Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
Remove bone and cut off the remaining tender ham meat; set meat aside.
Turn up the heat on the ham broth and reduce down until you have about a couple of cups of broth, or to desired strength.
Skim the fat from the broth.
Melt butter in a large pan; remove from heat and mix in flour until smooth.
Slowly add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly.
Return pan to stove and cook on low heat until milk thickens.
Stir the corn, the ham pieces you set aside earlier, dried minced onion, and minced garlic into thickened milk; then slowly stir in the remaining milk and the ham broth.
Cook on low for about 15 minutes, but do not boil.
Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
*Note: how much meat you leave on the bone is up to you, but I like to have a couple of cups of ham bits mixed into this chowder.
Optional: you can add a cup of cooked, chopped potato chunks to the soup near the end of the cooking, if you like.