Corn Chowder

This is from Rachael Ray's "365: No Repeats" Cookbook, but we have altered it to our liking.
Bacon-Makes-It-Better Corn Chowder
1 pt chicken stock
4 ears fresh corn, sliced from the cob (or about 1 1/2 cans of corn)
5 Tbsp EVOO
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped (I use dried)
1 bay leaf
3 dashes of hot sauce
2 Tbsp flour
1 C heavy cream (or evaporated fat free milk)

Place the chicken stock in a large pot over high heat, bring to a boil. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. Add the cobs to the stock and simmer.
Preheat soup pot over med-high heat with 2 Tbsp of EVOO. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel. Add the butter to the pot. Add yellow onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently until onions start to brown.
Add reserved corn kernels to the onions, cook 2 minutes. Add flour to pot and cook additional minute. Remove corncobs from stock and discard. Whisk stock into onion and corn mixture, a ladle full at a time. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, cook 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve garnished with crispy bacon.


Note: I add an additional 2-3 Tbsp of flour, because we like thicker chowder. I, also, dice up two baking potatoes and boil them seperately while making the rest of the soup to add in at the end. My husband likes extra bacon!