Homemade Clam Chowder

Lately I have been homesick for foods that I just can't seem to get down here in Texas (they have their own strange version). Last week I was so craving my Dad's awesome fish fry's so I went out and got the closest fish possible and fried it up for fish baskets with everyone.

This week I was really craving Clam Chowder so when I was grocery shopping the other day, I picked up all the ingredients.  Soups are really quite easy and homemade is far better than the can though tomato is better from the can/jar (I have tried many times with no luck). The key to most soups are to let them simmer for awhile.

For the Clam Chowder I took:

- 1/2 diced red onion (it was what I had)
- 2 large russet potatoes peeled and diced small (they cook better)
- 10 diced baby carrots (I like carrots in here but they could be left out).
-2 cans of minced clams
-1 container of chicken broth or three cans
- 1 pint of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2tablespoons of flour
- 2 table spoons of corn starch (for thickening at the end).
- Some olive oil

I took my dutch oven and added in the olive oil, and than tossed in the diced onion, carrots and potatoes. I let them sauté till the onions started to caramelize. I than added in the butter and flour and coated all of the veggies and let them cook for about 5 minutes on medium.

When the flour was browned a bit, I than added in the chicken stock and the minced clams (I did not drain them and used the clam juice to give it more flavor).  I let than simmer for a good 15-20 minutes until it was slowly in a rolling boil.  The soup should be thickening up as well.

I than added in the heavy cream and brought it back to a low simmer. Now if you want the soup to be more broth like, you can just let it simmer for about 30 minutes. If you like it thicker, than take the corn starch and mix it with some water to make a slurry and than whisk it into the soup. This will thicken it up more to a creamier base. (If you like it even thicker, feel free to add more corn starch). Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes stirring on occasion.

When the soup was done, we had a pot of creamy warm goodness. My hubby had to bowls of it and told me I hadn't made enough (mind you I made a huge pot).