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A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

clam chowder

20 Days of Chill: What’s cookin’ (Day 18)

January 24, 2018

The finished product! Yum!

Mmmmm New England clam chowder (errr… chowdah!)

This is, by far, my favorite type of soup. I don’t like Manhattan clam chowder. But New England… that’s chowdah!

I’ve made some different types of it in the past, but I had recently been scouring pinterest in the hopes of finding another one to try.

What I stumbled across was a slow-cooker recipe and, with a few small tweaks, I think I’ve found a great recipe that is well worth keeping.

If you want to see the original recipe at Baked by Rachel, click on the above link. I cut a few things out (namely red pepper flakes), and added more clams, as well as going with a shallot instead of just onion. Below is how I did it – and my thoughts on how I might change it up a tad more next time (and, mark my words, there will be a next time)!

Ingredients:

  • 3.5 cups of potatoes (I would have gone with the 4.5 in the original recipe, but didn’t have enough …)
  • 1 tsp garlic (I used minced)
  • 1 cup onion chopped (about half of mine was shallot)
  • 1/2 cup celery chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 6-8 slices of bacon (I put a bit more than the original recipe)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tbsp bacon grease
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 1/4 cup of half and half
  • 5 6-ounce cans of clams (I used more than in the original recipe
  • 8 ounces of clam juice (basically the juice out of two of the above cans of clams

What to do

Get everything prepped. It’s the best way to do it, isn’t it? Do all of your cutting and chopping and measuring. Get the clams ready and the juice. Peel the potatoes and put them into the size pieces that you like in your chowdah! (I like them a little smaller in mine).

Prepping!

And then …

Heat the olive oil in a decent size skillet. Then drop in the veggies, cooking over a medium heat. And it will smell divine. Once those onions get translucent, add the garlic and thyme for another minute or two, or until fragrant. Once ready, put all of that in your crock pot/slow cooker.

Now drop those potatoes in the crock pot, along with the clams, the clam juice and all the seasonings. Stir it up and take a whiff (hint: it smells good) and set your timer – 5 hours on high (that’s what I did), or the original recipe noted 10 hours on low.

If it didn’t smell good enough already, well, it’s about to get better. Cook all that delicious bacon. Get it nice and crispy. Take the 1/2 tablespoon of bacon grease and add it to the slow cooker. Chop up that bacon and add that to the pot as well (though, you should keep a bit of it aside, so you can have it on top of the chowder later!), cause … everything is better with bacon! Let everything continue to cook

With about 45 minutes remaining, add the flour to the half and half and whisk it really well. Like, take the time and do it right. Once you hit 30 minutes remaining, add it to the crock pot and let it cook the rest of the time.

When done – ladle some of that chowder out, have some awesome bread and enjoy how amazing this is. I mean, it’s crazy good. It also freezes pretty well, so portion it out and pull some out any time you want this chowdah!

Enjoy!

*****

This post is part of the 2018 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge hosted by A ‘lil HooHaa. Please check out the link if you’d like to see others or join in. You don’t have to do every theme if you don’t want! And for those participating, take a moment and check out the other participants! This is also part of the 2018 HooHaa Blogging Challenge. 

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Filed Under: 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge, blogging, challenges, food, My world Tagged With: 20 days of chill, 20 days of chill writing challenge, blog, blog challenge, bloggers, blogging, blogging challenge, challenges, chowdah, clam chowdah, clam chowder, food, new england clam chowdah, new england clam chowder, recipe, writing, writing challenge

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It’s chowdah time!

March 6, 2012

Mmmm.... New England clam chowdah!

I’ve always wanted to make my own New England clam chowder.

Chowdah, that is.

None of the red stuff. I don’t particularly care for the Manhattan clam chowder. I like chowdah.

Thick, too.

For the Super Bowl, I decided to give it a go for a small gathering I was going to. I found a recipe that looked somewhat healthy on the Food Network’s website and went at it. It was a recipe by Ellie Krieger and seemed health-conscious, which I liked.

It wasn’t too hard.

But, despite some corn starch at the end, it wasn’t thick enough for my liking. It tasted good. I really liked it. But I wanted it a tad thicker. The recipe called for two pounds of frozen clams, but the store didn’t have them. So I went with canned clams, but unfortunately, they were minced. So no true “bite” of clams.

The people who tried it at the Super Bowl party seemed to like it, so I knew I was going in the right direction.

Round 2 came on Leap Day.

I started later than I probably should have, but the store did have frozen clams this time. However, I wasn’t up for paying $6 per pound knowing that I might not even be able to get them defrosted in time. So I debated options. I went to the canned aisle and saw something better this time — actual clams in a can! Not the minced stuff.

Clams, anyone?

So I grabbed a couple of them.

This time, I also went with the Canadian bacon that the recipe calls for, rather than regular bacon as I used the first time. The reality is that it’s a bit of a garnish — you put it on top of the chowder when done — so either can work. Though, as I found out, the thickness and diced up portions of the Canadian bacon is a bit better with the chowder.

The recipe calls for a total time of 55 minutes (20 prep, 35 cooking), but that differs a little bit it seemed. I guess it all depends on how long the ‘taters take to cook. It also says it will yield six servings, but realize that it’s six large portions. So having a dinner with it might not be the best idea if you want a big ol’ serving of the chowder!

The ingredients called for:

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 4 slices Canadian bacon, diced (2 ounces) (Note: I used five slices)
  • 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 6 stalks celery, diced (about 2 cups)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (Note: I used regular salt and pepper)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 3 large cloves) (Note: I used the garlic in a bottle…more of a paste. Worked well)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 1-pound containers frozen clams packed in their own juice, thawed, juice reserved (Note: I used canned and it’s good.)
  • 1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups cold low-fat (1 percent) milk
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream (Note: You can use whipping cream, which has less fat and such). 
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Hot sauce (such as Tabasco), for serving (optional) (I did not use).

Now, it was time to cook. Yum. I could taste the delicious chowder all along. Especially the second time when I was having clams that were full.

The chowder cooking.

There’s something to be said about actually getting a clam or two in a spoonful of chowder, ya know?

Directions:

  1. To start, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add in the Canadian bacon, stirring frequently, until crisp. Then transfer the bacon to a plate. (+/- 3-4 minutes)
  2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, onion, celery, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened. (+/- 6 minutes)
  3. Add the garlic, thyme and cook, stirring for 1 more minute.
  4. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, the clam juice (approx 1 1/2 cups), the potatoes and the bay leaf, bringing the soup to a boil.
  5. Now, partially cover the pot and simmer. Stir occasionally until the potatoes are tender. (+/- 15 minutes)
  6. Whisk the milk, cream and flour in a bowl until the flower is dissolved. Slowly add this to the pot, stirring constantly. Bring the soup to a simmer (no boiling here!)
  7. Reduce the heat to medium low, stirring occasionally, until thickened. (+/- 8 minutes)
  8. Add the clams and simmer 2 more minutes.
  9. Discard bay leave and add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Before serving, stir in the bacon (and, add hot sauce if you want it).

Side note — I wanted it thicker. So before adding the clams, I also added corn starch a little at a time before getting the thickness I desired. Then I added the clams and went from there.

The end result was awesome.

I’m sure I’ve had much better chowdah — especially in Maine. But this was really good and was something that was relatively easy to make and was really tasty.

The website shows the nutritional facts as:  Per serving: Calories 312; Fat 8 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 66 mg; Sodium 510 mg; Carbohydrate 33 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 27 g.

Some of the other ones I had been looking at were WAY worse than that. I also used the whipping cream, so I’m sure these numbers went down a touch, if just slightly.

If you are a chowder fan, I would highly encourage you to try this recipe. It’s a simple and tasty way to enjoy some chowdah!

Fundraiser: I am, again, trying to raise money for the Relay For Life. If you donate to me — even a small amount — you will be entered to win a super-sweet quilted scarf. Click here for all the information!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! 

Filed Under: food, My world, Photography Tagged With: clam, clam chowdah, clam chowder, clams, cooking, ellie krieger, food, food network recipe, foodie blog, me cooking, new england clam chowdah, new england clam chowder

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So there’s a big game or something today?

February 5, 2012

Are you catching the excitement for this year's Super Bowl?

On this side of the pond, today is basically a national holiday.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday, after all.

A day filled with food, friends, and a football game. Beverages will surely flow in many pubs and bars throughout the country. People will argue throughout about missed plays and missed opportunities.

In the end, one team will be crowned Super Bowl champions.

In my region, it’s of course a little hectic as the New York Giants and New England Patriots are battling for the crown. And, well, there’s a lot of fans of each of those teams in this area. More for the Giants, but still.

The game and everything else is intriguing. With the Super Bowl happening in Indianapolis (home of the Colts), you have Giants quarterback Eli Manning looking to win his second Super Bowl, this time in the stadium where his brother plays (but possibly for not much longer). And, you also have Peyton’s arch-nemesis — New England QB Tom Brady — looking to win the Super Bowl.

Oh the drama.

But you know what they say right? Save the drama for your mama!

I’m not the biggest football fan in the world. I like the game, but unlike baseball, I have a hard time just watching teams I’m not interested in. I don’t mind this Super Bowl, because I don’t mind Eli and the Giants and I can’t stand New England, so I have a rooting interest. But the hoopla surrounding the Super Bowl has always irked me. There’s two weeks in between the conference championships and the Super Bowl, so you have a long buildup.

By the time the game comes on, I’ve had enough.

That being said, I haven’t been as saturated with it as in the past because I don’t work at a newspaper anymore. So I don’t see the constant stream of stories and photos.

I know Peyton Manning has been in the press a lot with a war of words with Colts owner Jim Irsay. When Indianapolis was awarded this game several years ago, I’m sure these two had plans of the Colts playing in the game, not sitting on the sideline watching after having the worst record in the league.

And I’m sure it’s quite exciting being in Indy for the game.

But I’m not in Indy. And don’t plan to be. I’ve never gotten into the day of the game programming. Hours and hours of stuff on television — all Super Bowl related. Even when the Colts played in the Super Bowl two times, I ignored. The first year, I went on a photo day. I came back an hour or so before the game and watched it by myself as the Colts won the Super Bowl title.

I went to a friend’s house the second time, but left at halftime so I could watch the rest of the game by myself.

I’m that way with most teams I cheer for. In the baseball playoffs, I usually like to watch the Phillies by myself. I can actually watch and pay attention to the game that way and I enjoy it more. Would I like to experience watching the Phillies win the World Series in the stadium with more than 40,000 other people? Of course. But if I’m not there, let me be so I can watch the game and enjoy.

As for football, if there are teams I have no interest in, I’ll have the game on. But might do other things. I like the game of football, just not to the level of millions of others. I’ll be at a friend’s tonight watching, so the game will be on and we’ll be watching. I hope the commercials are better than in the past year or two as that can be quite a high spot.

A few of us will gather to watch together and hopefully it will be a good game. I’m sure there will be good food (I’m making New England clam chowder [wait… that should be chowdah!] to bring over — but it’s the ‘I don’t like the New England Patriots Clam Chowder,’ more than anything else). Maybe a few beverages will be popped. And we’ll likely debate whether or not Tom Brady should have thrown a ball where he got picked off.

In the end, someone will be crowned Super Bowl champion.

And tomorrow, the world can go on as normal. Though I imagine a large amount of people might be a little hung over.

I’m picking Eli and the Giants to win this Super Bowl, by the way. I just hope it’s a good game.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

Filed Under: My world, Sports Tagged With: chowder, clam chowder, eli manning, football, my world, sports, super bowl, tom brady

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