Winter Blah...

Ok, so maybe the winter blues have hit...I am feeling pretty blah right about now. Kind of like I am walking in water. Boring, boring, boring... Nothing is too interesting and nothing seems very exciting to write about. So I thought I would include a 'Clam Chowder Soup' recipe that I recently made in the crock pot. It was really delicious and a hit with our family. Making a big pot of this with some crusty sourdough bread is just the medicine needed to cure the winter blah's!


Crock Pot Clam Chowder Soup
Clam chowder recipe with minced clams, bacon, onion, and potatoes and milk.
INGREDIENTS:
3 (6 1/2 oz.) cans minced clams with juice
1 8oz bottle of clam juice (I had this on hand, you don't have to add this if you don't want to.)
1/2 lb. bacon diced
1 cup chopped onion
6 to 8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 c. water
3 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 c. half and half cream or milk (I used non-fat half and half)
3 to 4 tbsp. cornstarch
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
PREPARATION:
Cut clams into bite-sized pieces if necessary. In skillet, saute salt pork or bacon and onion until golden brown; drain. Put into slow cooker with clams. Add all remaining ingredients, except milk, cornstarch, and parsley.
Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or until vegetables are tender. During the last hour of cooking, combine 1 cup of milk with the cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining milk and stir well; heat through. Top each serving with a little chopped parsley and serve with crackers or crusty French bread.