Clam Chowder

  My husband has been dying for me to make my neighbors clam chowder.  My dad has told him how awesome it is so he's been wanting me to make it.  I'm not sure I've ever eaten clam chowder before so I put off making it until the other night when it was cold and all I wanted was some soup.

  After looking at the recipe I made some changes, hoping that it would still taste ok.  The recipe is incredibly simple and cooks up nicely in the crock-pot.  My first bite I was pleasantly surprised.  This is a thick, creamy soup that has a lot of flavor from the potatoes and the clams both.  The recipe calls for topping it with bacon and green onions, but I passed because the soup was heavy enough without the bacon.  Frank thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm glad I ended up making it!

Clam Chowder (adapted from my neighbor, Mrs. Fichter's, recipe)

1 can cream of potato soup

1 large potato, skin peeled off and chopped

2 (6 oz) cans of clams with the juice
1 pint (2 cups) half and half
2 c. milk
3 T. flour
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
bacon and green onions for topping the soup

1.  In a crock-pot mix together the half and half and milk.  Slowly stir in the flour until it is well incorporated.  Stir in the cream of potato soup. 

2.  Add in the potatoes, butter, pepper, and salt.  Put in the juice only from the clams.  Reserve the clams for later (they get too tough if you put them in the soup now). 

3.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Add in the clams and continue cooking an additional 2 hours on low.

4.  Serve with bacon, green onions, and oyster crackers.

**Note:  If you like your chowder extra thick, use 1 quart of half and half and eliminate the milk.

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This post linked to:

Seasonal Sundays, Meatless Mondays

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table

Made From Scratch Tuesdays