Clam Chowder

Featured Cookbook: The Social Cookbook

2 tablespoons butter
2 slices thick-sliced bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery with greens, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme (I stripped the leaves off the stems when adding to the recipe)
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seafood seasoning (my addition)
1 pint half and half (I used fat-free)
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) chicken stock (recipe called for 2 cups)
2 medium potatoes, shredded
2 cans whole baby clams, with their juice

In a medium pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add bacon and onions, celery and thyme sprigs. Season with salt, pepper, Old Bay and hot sauce and cook 5 minutes. Add flour and cook a minute more.
Add half-and-half and stock and bring to a bubble, then stir in potatoes and clams. Bring soup back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and soup has thickened to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove thyme sprigs before serving. The leaves will have fallen off into the soup.