Clam Chowder

This is actually very fast to prepare. 

Ingredients:

2 cans baby fancy clams

4-6 slices of bacon

4 large russet potatoes

2 ribs of celery

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 cups chicken or seafood stock

3 cups half and half

1/4 cup each of corn starch & cold water

Salt & Pepper

Directions: 

Prepare all vegetables. Wash peel and chop potatoes in 1 inch cubes. Wash and dice onion and celery. Mince garlic. 

Add potatoes, 4 cups broth, 2 tsp. salt, thyme sprigs, and all of the juice from both cans of clams to a dutch oven or large stock pot. 

In separate fry pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels. Sauté onion and celery in bacon fat until translucent. Add garlic and cook one minute more then pour all contents of fry pan into the potato pot. 

Bring potato pot to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. 

In small bowl whip together 1/4 cup of cold water with 1/4 cup cornstarch until lump free. 

Add 3 cups of cream, clams, and cornstarch mixture to the pot. Increase heat to medium and return to boil. Allow to boil several minutes while stirring to thicken broth. Remove thyme sprigs. Taste and then add salt & pepper to taste. Crumble bacon on to each bowl.