Red Lobster Clam Chowder Copycat

 

There used to be a local restaurant known for its clam chowder. It was called Noah’s Ark, and actually looked like what one would expect Noah’s Ark to look like, complete with life-size replicas of animals, 2 x 2, on the exterior. When it first opened up, it was a nice place to dine, and each table had a cauldron of clam chowder in the center for diners to enjoy with the management’s compliments. It was really quite charming.

Photo credit: Lost Tables

This was my first experience with clam chowder, and I really loved it. The recipe was a simple one, largely cans of condensed Campbell’s soup. It wasn’t until many years after Noah’s Ark closed that I made clam chowder using clam juice, minced clams, and half-and-half. What a difference! I recently came across a copycat recipe for Red Lobster’s clam chowder, and decided to give it a try. It is quick, easy, and very delicious. I used cubed baby red potatoes rather than peeling russet potatoes. It saved time, had more visual appeal, and tasted better as well.

Red Lobster Clam Chowder Copycat

 2 c. cubed Melissa’s baby red potatoes, cut into ½” x ½” cubes

½ c. butter

¼ c. diced green onions, white and light green parts only

¼ c. flour

2 6.4-oz. cans minced clams, reserve juice

1 t. kosher salt

16 oz. half-and-half

½ c. whole milk

1/3 c. bottled clam juice

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Oyster crackers, for garnish

 Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; cook on medium heat until tender. Remove potatoes from heat, drain and set aside. In 2-quart saucepan on medium-low heat, melt butter.

 Add diced onions and cook until onions are slightly clear in color. Add flour to butter and stir briskly. The mixture will start to thicken. Add half and half a little at a time while stirring briskly. The mixture will be creamy and will look like thick cream. Place salt, clams, and juice from cans, potatoes, bottled clam juice and milk with the mixture.

 On medium-low temperature, bring chowder to a slow boil. Turn temperature down to low and let chowder simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Chowder, hard rolls, fresh whipped butter, and a cozy fire will warm your tummy and your soul.

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Window Shopping

I’ve been treating myself to a little window shopping lately, but when I window shop, I don’t look at what is in the window, I look at what is on the window.  I’m looking for holiday ideas as to how to decorate the rather barren front of my house.  Frigid weather and lack of time (plus that blasted Thanksgiving being so late this year) has me days (well, weeks, if you must know) behind on getting my decorations up.  So here’s a little eye candy to inspire you if you find yourself similarly just a teensy bit behind this year.

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Be Inspired Friday

Seasonal Sundays

Baked Potato Soup from the Magpie Cafe

A trip to St. Charles would not be complete without shopping on Historic Main Street, and dining at Magpie Cafe. Fortunately when I can't get there, or when the weather is too inclement to be able to sit outside on their multi-level patio and watch shoppers stroll the cobbled streets, I can at least fix one of my favorites, the Baked Potato Soup, at home.  It is but one of their many delicious specialties.

As luck would have it, this recipe is one of the many gems in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's cookbook called Special Requests, that I mentioned earlier here.

I made this soup for dinner tonight to accompany a salad, and while the atmosphere might not have been quite as festive as dining at the restaurant (though I'm sure my husband would disagree), the soup was just as good.

Let me encourage you to try it!  Here's the recipe.

Cup - Konitz Cappuccino from Amazon