Easy Homemade Clam Chowder

Easy Clam Chowder

4-5 cups diced potatoes*

1 small onion, diced

1/4 lb. bacon

pepper to taste

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cups half-and-half

3 cans minced clams

Fry bacon in a pot. When bacon is done, remove bacon from the pan and add the diced onions to the bacon grease. Cook until softened, about one or two minutes. Stir in pepper and add potatoes. Toss to mix, then cover potatoes with chicken broth and water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are cooked through and soft. In the meantime, cut up the cooked bacon. Add juice from the clams to the soup (but don't add the clams themselves yet ~ adding them too soon makes them rubbery) and half-and-half. Heat through, being careful not to boil. Add clams and cut bacon, mix in, and cook for another minute.

Serve with chives, sour cream, and malt vinegar.

* Potatoes note: Red potatoes give the soup a more chunky texture, while Russets make it more creamy and thick. Some of us prefer the thick/creamy and some prefer the chunky texture, so I compromise and use both. Either or both works! Add extra potatoes for a thicker soup.

This is an easy and pretty quick meal, excellent for nights when I need to cook something fast.  It takes about 25 minutes, but most of that is simmering time.

It's great for lunch, too! Reheated in the morning and poured into a Thermos to keep it hot. Perfect lunch for cool days!

Especially good with a nice salad and fruit on the side.

Like this spring greens salad with balsamic dressing, with strawberries and blackberries, Van's multigrain crackers, a piece of chocolate, and a few bits of beef jerky (special request from Bean). Delicious and hearty lunch for school!

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