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Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Monday, January 28, 2013

Clam Chowder

I love clam chowder. IT Guy does not. Because we eat everything I cook, I don't make very many seafood recipes because I would be the only one eating them. But every now and then, I get a hankering for something seafood-y. And this clam chowder was perfect! I took some to my dad from whom I inherited my love of clam chowder...and his words were "You outdid yourself". Pretty high praise, I'd say.


Clam Chowder

 

5 slices bacon ~ diced and cooked crisp ~ reserve 2 tablespoons drippings
3 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams ~ drained, juice reserved
1 49-ounce can chicken broth
1 cup celery ~ diced
1 cup carrots ~ diced
1 small onion ~ diced
3 cups frozen southern hash brown potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup flour
salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven, cook diced bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to drain and reserve 2 tablespoons drippings.

Saute veggies in the bacon drippings until softened.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in flour and cook for a minute or so.

Add potatoes.

Add chicken broth and reserved clam juice and cook until thickened.

Simmer for about 15 minutes until veggies are tender.

Add bacon, cream and clams.

Simmer for about 15 minutes to heat through.

Serve with crackers or crusty french bread.

Here's what you'll need. 
Here's what you'll need.

Dice and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon. 
Dice and cook the bacon until 
crisp. Remove the bacon.

Drain the clams and reserve with juice. 
Drain the clams and reserve with juice.

Saute the veggies with the salt and pepper in the reserved bacon drippings. 
Saute the veggies with the salt and 
pepper in the reserved bacon drippings.

Add the flour and cook for a minute or so. Then.... 
Add the flour and cook for a 
minute or so. Then....

...and the potatoes. 
...and the potatoes.

Add the chicken broth... 
Add the chicken broth...

...and the clam juice... 
...and the clam juice...

...and simmer until thickened and veggies are tender. 
...and simmer until thickened 
and veggies are tender.

Add the clams, cream and bacon and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes. 
Add the clams, cream and bacon and 
allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.

Nice and thick! 
Nice and thick!

And ready to eat!!! 
And ready to eat!!!