Clam Chowder My Way

Most traditional recipes use heavy cream and butter, resulting in rich and delicious chowders, but fine chowders are also made with milk which is sometimes thickened with a small amount of flour to reach the thickness of those made with cream. I am told that authentic New England chowders are never thick, however, with most relying on the starch from the potatoes to slightly thicken the broth and milk or cream. The thick, pasty chowders served in many restaurants are full of flour which masks the flavor of the clams, and would never be served by any self respecting Yankee cook.

3 cans chopped clams
1 small bottle clam liquid
3 medium yukon gold potatoes, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, diced
4 oz natural applewood smoked bacon
2 tbl bacon drippings
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half & half
5-6 sprigs fresh sage
Dill weed, garlic powder
Sea salt & ground pepper.
Optional ground cayenne if a little heat is desired.

Get the bacon started in the oven (see oven bake method below).

In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm the milk, half & half, and whole sage sprigs.

Transfer some of the bacon pan drippings to a large stock pot, add onion and cook, stirring until soft and translucent. Add reserved clam liquid or bottled clam juice and water if needed to total 3 cups and increase heat to high. Add chopped potatoes and cook until potatoes are just soft – they will break slightly and thicken the broth. Mash a few against the side of the pot and stir to further thicken the broth.

Remove the sage sprigs, and pour the warmed milk and half & half into the stock pot. Add the chopped clams to the pot, lower heat and simmer until clams are cooked (4-8 minutes, depending upon the size of the chopped clams). Crumble the bacon into the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the dill and garlic powder. (The dill weed is key for "chowda my way", I had it that way in a Cambridge, MA hotel once and was blown away by how the dill added so much to the dish. I also like to add Cayenne because I like a little kick.)

This is a quick recipe, the chowder can be served immediately, but most feel that that the flavor improves with sitting for 30-45 minutes off heat. Reheat over low heat before serving; chowder should not boil after milk and cream are added.

The Best Way to Cook Bacon

In honor of the transcendent "Vegetarian, Except for Bacon" population, I have selected cured pork as the topic of my first Flexitarian post. So what is the secret to making perfect bacon; straight, crispy, and splatter-free every time?

The broiler pan. Yes that's right, do the bacon in your oven! Grease drips down into the pan, while the strips stay straight and crispy on top. Cook at 400° for 15-20 minutes; and flip every strip over to its other side about half way through the cooking time.

When I devote an afternoon to cooking, I like to plan recipes for two complimentary dishes so I can shop for ingredients once, and use them in different ways. Today, my common ingredients of: Bacon, Milk, Half & Half, Butter, and Fresh Sage leaves were used for 1. Clam Chowder, and 2. Mushroom Bacon Mac & CheeseMushroom Bacon Mac & Cheese. Recipes to follow!

Mushroom Bacon Mac & Cheese

The Crafty Veggie Blog Goes Flexie

I tend to go through phases in what I like to eat, and have spanned the gamut from Vegetarian (raised that way), Omnivore, back to Ovo-Lacto, dabbled in Pesc, and even for one hard-core month this year, Vegan (whooo baby, that was hard to get used to!). But I did it. I tried it all in an effort to find the best way to eat for my body type, and I had an open mind, having fun with food. During that time I even heard of people who were "Vegetarian, except for bacon"! LOL, which of course is absurd and yet sublime. So after fluttering around the garden for years, sipping from each bloom, I noted that I kept returning to one particular flower. Or maybe it's just that when I discovered the new wavey term for the way I was eating a few years ago, I happily e mbracedthe label: Flexitarian.

I had kept this blog strictly Veggie for a few years, letting it go fallow in the times where I was eating meat, or when I was just frankly not doing a lot of home cooking. But I've decided to make the blog work for me again, not the other way around. So I will now be posting a mixture of recipe notes, this time for the veg and the carn alike; and most importantly, for my fellow Flexies, who may need the occasional cooking inspiration as they are wandering the garden.

ways my friends. There you, go stick to your label. Unless you realize that labels are just that.

P.S. Some vegetarians/vegans have a problem with the word flexitarian. Most omnivores have never even heard of the term, so either couldn't care less, or are at least intrigued by the idea. I say it matters little either way as long as we're both happy with ourselves. Flexitarian is a label of convenience, just the same that Vegetarian is also merely a label, a foodie designation. It doesn't have to be a sacred mantra. Therefore I say if there must be a label, then this is what I proudly choose to label myself! Got a problem with it homies?

So to head off any veggie related scandal on the very personal way that I choose to label the way I nourish my body, I will say this:

If you insist that I call myself an omnivore, then you are simply an herbivore. Semantics go both ways my friends.

But if you realize that labels are just that...
Well then, take my hand, and let's go eat!