bonnie's clam chowder new england style

How To Make bonnie's clam chowder new england style

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  Step 1
  Get your ingredients together and read through the recipe before you start.
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  Step 2
  Place the bacon pieces in a large skillet and cook over medium high heat until crisp and brown. Remove and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pan.
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  Step 3
  Dice potatoes and carrots first and set aside. The recipe calls for unpeeled potatoes. You may peel half of the potatoes if you wish, or peel all of the potatoes, or leave them unpeeled. We prefer them peeled.
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  Step 4
  Stir the potatoes and carrots into the bacon grease, add salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until tender.
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  Step 5
  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and carrots to a large soup pot, shaking off as much grease as possible.
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  Step 6
  Now open the three cans of clams and pour just the juice (not the clams) over the potatoes and carrots, and add the 2 bottles of clam juice. (If there is not enough liquid, add water to just cover the potatoes and carrots.) Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender. (about 15 minutes)
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  Step 7
  Gently stir the 2 leek soup mix packages into the potatoes until no lumps of soup remain. (I made a "well" in the center of the soup so it is easier to mix)
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  Step 8
  Stir in the clams, bacon and half-and-half cream. Cook and stir until the chowder returns to a simmer and thickens, about 10 minutes more. Enjoy!
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  Step 9
  Cooks note: Sometimes I make my own clam juice: 2 cups of water to 1 can of minced clams with juice and blend in blender. Note: I tried fat free half and half, but it doesn't work for us. The half and half makes a much better chowder. My husband asked me what was missing in it!
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  Step 10
  Our kitchen helper, Phoebe says, " You used low fat half and half!? You should know better than to mess with a good recipe!!"
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