Simple Shrimp Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 cups water
1 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled,deveined,thawed if frozen,cut in bite sized pieces
3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (the diced kind)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, to taste
4 cups milk
1/2 cup half-and-half or 1/2 cup light cream
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

Saute onions in butter in a large skillet until tender, about 5 minutes or so.
Add water and bring to a boil.
Add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until no longer translucent in center(be careful not to overcook them).
Remove shrimp and place in a covered bowl.
Add potatoes to the same pan, and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Simmer for about 4-6 minutes, stirring as needed, until potatoes are tender.
Add milk and half and half and bring to just a boil, stirring occasionally.
Once it just comes to the boil, remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
Add shrimp back to the pot along with parsley, reserving a small portion of the parsley for garnishing if desired.