SLOW COOKER CLAM CHOWDER

I’m thrilled to share this slow cooker clam chowder with you today. My family loves seafood. Especially when we’re at the beach. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen near as often as we’d like since we live 8 hours from our favorite beach. 

What we can rely on year round though is comfort foods like this that make us dream that we’re at the beach. See this is how it works. Serve soup surrounded by seashells and such. Look at favorite memory photos of the beach.

Then have everyone close their eyes and pretend that their feet are in the sand, the sun is shining down and the waves are crashing in the background.

Back to slow cooker clam chowder. This soup is both delicious and easy. It comes together quickly. Heats up in the slow cooker while you go about your day. When you come back all you have to do is thicken it a bit on the stove for  a few minutes. If you’re a seafood fan give this soup a try. You won’t regret it a single moment.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion diced
• 3 russet potatoes about 1 1/2 lbs peeled, diced
• 3 cans chopped clams 6.5 ounces each
• 8 ounces clam juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup whole or 2% milk
• 2 bacon slices chopped
• Oyster or saltine crackers as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the pot of a slow cooker, add diced onions and potatoes.
2. Add 2 full cans of clams with juice and 1 can without clam juice. Discard remaining juice or save for another purpose.
3. Add 1 bottle clam juice, thyme, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir together.
4. Cover pot and cook on high for 4 hours.


After the 4 hours:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add in flour. Stir; mixture will be thick.     Slowly add milk and the half and half. Stir and continue to cook over medium heat until thickened.

2. Add mixture to slow cooker. Stir and cook on low for another 30 minutes.

3. Ladle into bowls. Top with bacon. Serve with oyster or saltine crackers.

More Deliciouse Recipes SLOW COOKER CLAM CHOWDER@gatherforbread.c