I don’t “do” canned soup. I am kind of a soup snob, admittedly. I learned how to make my own soup when I attended Culinary Arts school and haven’t looked back. In fact, the only canned soup you will see me buying is for cooking in other recipes such as cream of mushroom.

I don’t understand why more people do not make their own soups. It really is so simple to do and you won’t believe how amazing it tastes! Plus, its so much cheaper to make. This recipe made enough for about 10 large bowls of soup and it cost me less than $12. So that is a couple meals for us. Maybe you, too, will never go back to canned soups?

One of my favorite soups has always been clam chowder. Of course, a lot of people can’t get past the texture of clams, but I don’t mind them at all as long as they are in soup. Too bad I am on a diet. ( )

Let’s get started, shall we?

For this Clam Chowder Recipe, you will need:

• 2 cans of clams

• About 4-5 lbs of potatoes

• 2 large cartons of Chicken soup stock

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 lb of bacon, cooked and chopped

• 1/2 cup milk or cream

• Seasonings: Thyme, chives, salt, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and I like to put curry in mine as well

To make Clam Chowder:

• Start by peeling your potatoes and cubing them into bite sized chunks.

• Add HALF of them to a pot filled with your chicken stock and simmer for approx 15 minutes or until soft but not mushy.

• Add clams to the mix. Do not drain the clams as you want the clam juice in the soup for flavor. Also add the bacon at this time and stir in.

• Add the other half of your potatoes to the pot and bring to a low boil. Add seasonings to taste. Try playing around with some new ones. I like thyme, basil, curry, onion powder and garlic powder and always use salt and pepper!

• Make a roux out and add it to your soup. ( For a refresher, a roux is equal parts butter and equal parts flour. You add the butter to a pan, allow it to melt and then slowly add the flour and stir until it resembles wet sand. To add it to your soup, add it slowly while whisking it in. This is how you thicken your soup from a broth to a thick soup)

• Slowly whisk in your cream/milk. Allow to simmer another 10 or so minutes.

Enjoy!