AND, I'M BACK....

Hello Again, are you in shock i'm back so quickly?!?!


I have a couple of things I thought were worth sharing!


first up are cute recent pictures of the girls. We spent last week going to a pool everyday and I got BURNED bigtime but it was worth it!

Brooke, such a little gem.

And those eyes. Seriously could stare at her face constantly!

Katherine and Brenna taking a quick break long enough for me to get a quick picture!

Me and my sweet girl! Need more shots of me with the girls for sure!

And, currently cooking this amazing soup. Light, lowfat, delicious and full of clams!

Manhattan Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

2 - 28 oz of chopped clams
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
3/4 cup diced carrot
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes,
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions:
In a large stockpot bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add clams and juice in cans, cover and cook for 5 minutes. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 6 cups.) Set clams and broth aside.

In a large heavy pot add bacon and render until golden and crispy. Pour off all fat except 4 tablespoons. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and carrots and cook for 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Do not allow to color.

Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and add potatoes, reserved clams and broth, and chicken stock and bring to a boil, covered. Cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened somewhat. Add tomatoes and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add reserved clams and parsley and season with pepper and salt, if necessary. Allow chowder to sit for up to 1 hour to allow flavors to meld, then reheat slowly over low fire if necessary.

We serve it with crusty italian bread and butter. So delicious!

I'll be back tomorrow with a Chinese Chicken Salad recipe and so new layouts and mixed media stuff I've been working on.

Have a great day!!

xo

C