Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2                     bacon slices
  1                     onion -- chopped
  1                     carrot -- thinly sliced
  1                     celery stalk -- sliced
  1         tablespoon  all purpose flour
  1           teaspoon  dried thyme
  4            bottles  clam juice -- (8 ounces each)
  1                     russet potato -- peeled, cut into
  1               inch  cubes
  1                cup  whipping cream
  2               cans  chopped clams with juices -- (6.5 ounces each)
                        chopped fresh chives -- (optional)

Preparation:

Cook bacon in large saucepan until crisp and brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon. Saute onion, carrot and celery in bacon drippings 5 minutes. Add flour and thyme and stir 2 minutes. Add clam juice and potatoes. Simmer until potato is tender and chowder is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add cream and clams. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chowder into bowls. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and chives if desired. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Makes: 4 servings Clam chowder is a great main course soup for cool evenings. This one is beautifully balanced, with just the right amount of clams, cream and smoky bacon. Serve it with a simple salad and oyster crackers or crusty bread.

Nutritional Information:

1091 Calories (kcal); 95g Total Fat; (76% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 53g Carbohydrate; 337mg Cholesterol; 843mg Sodium