A Lenten Addition- Clam Chowder

I got this recipe off of the "All Recipes" site and changed it a bit to suit our preferences. This is my version. Really good and really hearty!



Ingredients:

2 cans (10 oz. each) whole baby clams
1 bottle clam juice
1/2 cup carrots
2 large potatoes cubed to bite size
1/4 cup minced onions
3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups milk (2% or skim, whatever you have, even whole is fine)
2 cups half and half
3/4 cups butter (stick and a half! eek!)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut up all veggies, mince garlic and onion. Add all veggies to a big pot with a lid. Drain juice from clams over the veggies, also add in the extra clam juice (as much as desired, I use about a third of the bottle) and add water as needed to cover the veggies fully. Put on the lid and heat/boil on high for about 15-20 min. or until veggies are tender.

While veggies are cooking, melt butter in large skillet, wisk in flour until smooth. Continue to wisk in the 2 cups of milk and 2 cups half and half . Continue to wisk until completely smooth. When veggies are done, add the flour and cream mixture to the big pot. On low heat add salt, pepper and vinegar. Lastly add in clams, stirring on low heat until soup is heated through. Do not let soup boil, the clams will get tough. Serve hot.

I would taste the chowder before adding salt, taste after adding salt, taste after adding vinegar. I dont like my foods very salty at all so you may prefer more salt or vingear.

For the non-seafood lovers out there. Add diced chicken to the veggies pot, use chicken broth instead of clam juice. And leave out the red wine vinegar and otherwise follow the directions exactly the same and you have a great chicken chowder.