New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder, a photo by davecurry8 on Flickr.

What goes best on a cold day? Hot cocoa, blankets, sweaters? Yes, all of those are nice, but how can we forget about our good friend New England Clam Chowder? This soup is in my dictionary considered to be synonymous with the word yummy!

Prep Time : 15 Minutes
Cook Time : 30 Minutes
Ready in : 45 Minutes

Ingredients

* 4 slices bacon, diced
* 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* ground black pepper to taste
* 3 cups half-and-half
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams

Directions

1. Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.

Calories: 396