Recipes by Arlene

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium-size potatoes, pared and diced (about 2 cups)
• 2½ cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 2 cans (about 1 pound each) whole kernel corn
• 1 tall can evaporated milk
• ¼ cup sifted all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. paprika

Cook bacon until crisp in a large heavy oven or Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add potatoes, 2 cups of the water, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.

Stir in corn with can liquid and evaporated milk. Blend flour with remaining ½ of water. Stir into chowder.

Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until chowder thickens and bubbles 1 minute. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle each with paprika. Serve with saltines or oyster crackers.

Note: Try the chowder with clams.

• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped (approximately 1 cup)
• 4 medium-sized potatoes, pared and diced (about 3 cups)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 2 10½-oz. cans minced clams
• 1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice
• 1 quart milk
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 can baby clams (if desired)

Cook bacon until crisp in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Remove bacon with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels and reserve. Add onion to bacon drippings and sauté until soft.

Add potatoes, 2 cups of the water, salt and pepper; cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.

Drain liquid from clams in a 4-cup measure; reserve clams. Add bottle clam juice and remaining cup of water.

Combine milk with clam liquid. Stir briskly (and add a small amount of flour to thicken if desired). Add to potato mixture in saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until chowder thickens and bubbles for 1 minute.

Add clams; heat just until piping-hot. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with parsley and reserved bacon. Serve with crackers if you wish. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: This is basically the same recipe as this one…without the clams!

A little dill weed on top adds a special touch.

• 10¾-oz. can asparagus soup
• 10¾-oz. can mushroom soup
• 1 can crab meat or 1 package frozen crab meat
• 1½ cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• ⅛ cup sherry

Drain can of crab meat and refresh with a small amount of lemon juice. Combine all ingredients and simmer until hot. Serve four.

• 2 cups diced potato
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 can condensed Manhattan-style clam chowder
• 1 7½-oz. can minced clams, drained
• 3 tbsps. dry white wine
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsps. snipped parsley

In large saucepan, combine first five ingredients. Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes; mash slightly. add chowder, milk, clams and wine. Heat, but do not boil. Stir whipped cream into chowder. season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

Optional: you can also add homemade buttered croutons or 1 tsp. steak sauce.

Add a few ingredients to a potato mix and, in 30 minutes, serve a hearty soup.

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 cup finely chopped Canadian bacon (4½ oz.)
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced (1½ cups)
• 1 5.25- to 5.5-oz. package dry au  gratin potato mix
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup frozen cut green beans

In a 4-quart Dutch oven, combine the water, cabbage, Canadian bacon, carrots and the dry potato mix. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Combine the milk and cornstarch; add to soup along with frozen beans. Simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes more or until beans are tender. Makes 4 to 6 main-dish servings.