In a soup pot, cook the bacon 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp.
Spoon off and discard all but about 1 tablespoon fat.
Stir in the onion, bell pepper, bay leaf, thyme, and celery salt.
Cook, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes, until soft.
Stir in the corn and milk. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Season with the salt and pepper.
Remove the bay leaf.
Serve.
Notes
If, for some reason, you can absolutely skip the bacon and have this chowder 100% meat free. While bacon adds a lot of flavor, it is not necessary. (You can also use 100% real bacon bits in a crunch)You can use any corn you have. I often use frozen corn and the soup is delicious! So don’t think that just because your corn is not fresh, the soup is not worth making. Alternatively, you can use corn on the cob or canned corn in this recipe.If you want a little thicker consistancy, use more creamed corn.I use heavy cream for my chowder but you can also use milk for a lighter soup.