Clam Chowder

[pastorterry]

Terry’s bacon and clam chowder!
Ingredients:
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 1 stick of celery cut into 4ths
• 1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
• ½ stick real butter
• 1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Sprinkle of parsley
• 1 can (approximately 7 ounces each) minced clams
• 1 can Whole clams
• 3 tablespoons flour (4 for thicker base)
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
Preparation:
Cook bacon until crisp in a stock pot. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Crush bacon into bits after it cools and set aside.
Move stock pot to an eye with a lower temperature. Add 1/8th stick of butter, onions and celery to the bacon drippings. Sauté onions and celery until clear, then add garlic and sauté until all are tender. Add the potatoes, clam juice, salt, pepper and parsley. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove the celery. Add minced and whole clams and their liquid. Whisk the milk into the flour; add to chowder. Add the half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clam chowder thickens and bubbles (15-20 min.) Add remainder of the butter after cooking ¾ of the cook time. Serve the chowder into individual bowls and sprinkle with bacon pieces as desired.
Clam chowder recipe serves 4.