New England Clam Chowder

I just got back from Cape Cod and of course, every restaurant I went to, I had to try the clam chowder. As I was eating them, some fabulous, some mediocre, I was thinking "I can make this".

I've made other chowders and I have made this before but it has been years and quite honestly, I don't remember how I made it so I am going at this anew.

I've had some chowders with bacon and some without so as a bacon lover, I wanted bacon in mine. I chopped an onion and 2 stalks of celery. I put some oil on the bottom of a stock pot and added the vegetables to sweat them. I added about a 1/2 cup of real bacon bits, its just an easier step but feel free to use strips of bacon. I didn't want the bacon to overpower the soup but I like the flavor it adds so I tried not to add too much. I also diced a bunch of red potatoes, some small some large, I think it was about 6. I added those as well.

At this point, I added chicken broth and a few sprigs of thyme, salt, and pepper and let it simmer. Once the potatoes were tender, I added 3 cans of chopped clams. Of course, fresh clams would be better, but I had canned, so that's what I used. I added a can of evaporated milk.

In a separate pan, I made a rue by mixing butter with flour. I used another pan because I actually like to use cream cheese as a creamy thickener as well. I melted a half brick of cream cheese with about a 1/4 cup of milk. This makes a creamy thickener. I slowly added this to the rue. and then slowly added some broth from the soup until it was thin enough to add to the soup.

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