Favorite Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 4 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams
• 3 (8 oz) bottles clam juice
• 1.5 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 t minced fresh thyme leaves
• 6 slices bacon, chopped fine
• 1 onion, minced
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c heavy cream
• 2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

1. 1. Drain clams through strainer set over medium bowl. Add bottled clam juice to drained liquid to measure 5 cups (add water if necessary). Bring potatoes, clam juice, bay leaves, and thyme to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to maintain gentle simmer.
   2. While potatoes are coming to boil, cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
   3. Pour potatoes and cooking liquid into pot with onion mixture, using wooden spoon to scrape bottom of pan. Add clams, cream, and parsley and simmer until potatoes are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
   
   From: Cooks Country

Best Hamburgers

We made these the other night and used our Big Green Egg to cook them just right. We just kept saying, "this is how a burger should taste!" They were so good.

Ingredients

• 8 strips bacon
• 1-2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and discarded, remaining break cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 c milk
• 1.5 lbs ground beef (85%)
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• Vegetable oil for grill rack

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 and cook bacon on tinfoil lined baking sheet for 15-17 minutes (or fry in large skillet). Reserve 3 tablespoons bacon fat in heatproof bowl and place in fridge while prepping other ingredients. 2. Place bread in small bowl, add milk, and let mixture sit until saturated, about 5 minutes. Using fork, mash bread and milk until it forms smooth paste. Break up beef into small pieces in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic, bread paste, and reserved bacon fat. Using fork or hands, lightly knead together so that ingredients are well incorporated and mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Using hands, toss each portion of meat back and forth to form loose ball, then gently flatten each ball into 3/4-inch-thick patty.
3. Oil cooking grate and grill burgers over very hot fire, without pressing down on them, until well seared on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve, topped with bacon, if desired.
(adapted from Cook's Country)

Guacamole Salad

This is a great dip to keep in the fridge and just snack on all the time. Or you make this up, fry up some fish, and boom - fish tacos extraordinaire. Drizzle even a little lime cilantro dressing on top for added amazingness. From www.melskitchencafe.com

Ingredients

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup small diced red onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and diced (about 1/2-inch pieces)

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. This mixture can be refrigerated for 3-4 hours before serving.
2. Just before you’re ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste if needed, and serve at room temperature.

Favorite Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup

Another great recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Jared loved the soup, so I'll make it again this week.

YIELD: SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots, diced small
• 1 cup chopped celery, diced small
• 3 cups peeled and chopped potatoes, diced small
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 4-5 cups broccoli crowns, diced small (about 2 heads of broccoli)
• 4-6 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 16 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, carrots, celery, potatoes and onion. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to get tender.
2. Add the chopped broccoli. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. The pan is going to be very full of vegetables and it might seem like it isn't "soupy" enough since the vegetables overpower the broth but I promise it will all work out when you add the cheese mixture.
3. In a separate medium saucepan, saute the bacon until golden and crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the grease and wipe out the saucepan.
4. Melt the butter (in the same saucepan you cooked the bacon in or reserve 3T bacon grease and forget the butter) over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture is bubbling and is slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes.
5. Stir in the cheddar cheese one handful at a time, adding another handful after the cheese that has been added has melted. Stir in the salt, pepper and dry mustard.
6. Slowly stir the cheese sauce into the hot broth and vegetables, whisking to combine well. Stir in the reserved bacon and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. If you want the soup a bit thinner, stir in a little extra broth or milk a bit at a time until you get the consistency you are looking for.