• 4 cups Water
• 1 1/2 pounds medium Shrimp, shelled
• 4 slices thick Peppercorn bacon
• 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium Green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. Ready-to-serve garlic

• 2 cups Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dices
• 1 14.5 oz. can Dei Fratelli Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
• 3 to 4 dashes Hot sauce, to taste

Preparation:
In a medium size pot, add water. Cook until boiling. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pot. Strain water and measure 3 cups. Keep on warm temperature until needed.

In a Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to cool on paper towels. When cool, break into pieces.

Add onion, green pepper, and garlic to bacon grease and sauté until tender about 10 minutes. Pour in reserved water. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring slowly to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy.

Add the shrimp and bacon. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Serve the chowder in heated mugs.

Serves 6 to 8