Creamy Corn Chowder

Prepare Your Ingredients
Wash and dry your produce.
Thinly slice the green onions.
Small dice the celery.
Mince 3 cloves garlic.
Remove corn kernels from cob by standing it up in a bowl and slicing down.
Remove the thyme leaves from the sprigs and roughly chop.
Cut bacon into ½-inch pieces.

Cook the Bacon and Veggies
In a medium pot, cook the bacon over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Remove the bacon from the pot and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Discard all but 1 Tbsp. bacon fat from pot.
Return pot to burner, add the butter and melt.
Add the celery, thyme, and 2/3 of the green onions.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the Soup
Add the flour to the celery and onion mixture, and stir constantly for 1 minute.
Slowly pour in the milk mixing well.
Add the corn kernels, cream-style corn, broth, bay leaf, and desired amount of cayenne.
Stir and bring to a gentle boil, then let cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
While soup cooks, pat shrimp dry and season with a little salt and pepper.

Cook the Shrimp
Add shrimp to the soup, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Remove soup from the heat, then stir in the half-and-half.

Plating
Remove bay leaf and divide soup evenly between your bowls.
Sprinkle with remaining green onions, and bacon.
Enjoy!