Easy Clam Chowder and Meager Meals!

This recipe is for Lucas "Luke the Boy".  With the exception of maybe chicken soup, this is without a doubt Lucas' favorite soup.  During Lent, Concord Presbyterian Church in conjunction with Rehoboth Lutheran Church, here in Economy Borough, PA used to do a "Meager Meal" of Soup and Bread right after the Wednesday Service.  One week, the Rehoboth gang made the soups and hosted the meal in their kitchen.  The next week, the Concord Gang hosted the meal in their kitchen. There were always 4 or 5 different soups to sample and various breads. "Yummy" There was nothing Meager about this meal! There was a "bit" of competition among the two churches and that made it all the more fun! Every time, I was on soup duty, I made "Easy Clam Chowder".  The recipe below serves 4, so you gotta know that I made 3 or 4 times as much for the "Meager Meal" Celebration of soup and Bread!  

1 extra thick slice of bacon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
3 or 4 medium potatoes peeled and cut into bite size chunks
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half or Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 small cans of clams and clam juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
salt and pepper to taste (you will not need much or any salt)

In a large dutch oven, fry the bacon in the olive oil to a crisp.  Remove bacon and cool.  In the bacon drippings and olive oil, add the onion, celery carrots and potatoes.  Brown the vegetables (Stir often) Add the milk and half and half.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes  (Stir often to avoid scorching)  Ladle out about 2 cups of liquid and cool.  Add the flour to the cooled liquid and return to the soup.  Add Parmesan cheese and clams with juice.  Stir again and sprinkle with the parsley and serve.  This is a comfort food!

Serve with Braided Bread (see next blog post for Braided Bread)

Potato Tuscanna Soup

The recipe for Potato Tuscanna Soup was originally given to me, by my friend Leslie Worst. I changed the recipe slightly (very very slightly) to make it my own.  Thank you so much Leslie.  My family just loves it!

2 pounds Bulk Italian Sausage
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
4 Slices Thick Cut Bacon
1 large Chopped Onion
2 Heaping Teaspoons Chopped Garlic
8 Medium Potatoes
2 Boxes Chicken Stock
3 or 4 cupsChopped Kale


1. In a large Dutch Oven, brown 2 lbs loose (No casing) Italian Sausage in 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and 1 tsp red pepper flakes.  (Be Careful with the red pepper flakes, 1 tsp goes a long long way)
2.  Remove Sausage and Pepper Flakes to large bowl.
3.  In the same Dutch Oven, brown 4 thick sliced bacon strips, cut into small pieces and 1 large chopped onion. You may need to add another tablespoon of EVOO.  After the bacon and Onion are browned, add 2 heaping teaspoons of minced Garlic, (I use the pre-chopped Garlic in Olive Oil, cause I am lazy!) that you can now purchase in any grocery store near the produce department.  Remove the Bacon, Onion and Garlic to the bowl that has the Sausage and Red Pepper Flakes. 
4.  Wash, pat dry and chop in bite sized pieces, 8 medium or 6 large red skin potatoes. No need to peel, unless you choose.  However if you are using "older" potatoes, you will have to indeed peel them!
5.  Add 2 more tablespoons of Olive Oil into the Dutch Oven, if necessary (over those browned bits, left over from the meat/onion mixture)  Add the potatoes and cover with a lid.  Brown the potatoes slightly.  (Maybe 5 minutes or so, but stir often!)
6.  Add 2 boxes of chicken stock(32 ounces each) to the potatoes.  Add the meat mixture back in to the broth and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. 
7.  Add 2 cups of half and half to the mixture and simmer another 10 minutes.  Maybe you don't have enough half and half....  Canned Milk mixed with regular milk will work too!
8.  Add 1 bunch of kale (about 1/2 lb) chopped into bite sized pieces to the soup
9.  Add 1/2 cup good Parmesan Cheese and keep a bit extra for topping later in a bowl.

Just Fabulous anytime, but especially on a Cold Winter Day!