Clam Chowder

IT WAS A COLD AND GLOOMY DAY with freezing rain and I was thinking about food. Looking out the window, it looked magical with the tree branches sheathed in a layer of ice. But there was no way I was going slip sliding to the grocery store.

Fortunately, I keep a well stocked kitchen. Even though I was a little short on fresh foods, I did find a couple of cans of clams and a bottle of clam juice lurking in my pantry. I was well on the way to a creamy and cozy dinner. The recipe I used called for half and half which I did not have, but I always have cans of evaporated milk in the pantry. Evaporated milk makes a fantastic substitute for cream in recipes.

Clam Chowder
4 slices bacon
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup water
1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/3 cup flour
2 cups half and half, divided
2 (6 1/2 oz,) chopped clams, undrained

In soup pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to drain and set aside. Saute the celery and onion in the drippings in the pan until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half and half until smooth. Gradually stir into the soup. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for about 1 - 2 minutes until thickened.

Stir in clams and remaining half and half. Heat through but do not boil. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle over each serving.

Sally Lunn Bread

MY LOVE OF VINTAGE RECIPES should come as no surprise to anyone. I have talked about it for years. Here is a short post I wrote about it a few years ago.

I have known Sally Lunn Bread all my life as a Southern recipe. I can remember ladies sitting around my Mother's kitchen table drinking coffee and eating warm slices of this bread with butter and honey or jam, while talking about what ladies talk about.

Sally Lunn bread is a slightly sweet brioche type bread. It is fantastic with pimiento cheese and makes delicious toast. It also freezes beautifully. This is a no knead recipe but it does require two 1-hour risings plus a 25 minute baking time, so allow plenty of time to make it. It is made in a tube pan or bundt pan. The craggy top crust is a result of a very thick and sticky dough and is a signature of this bread.

Sally Lunn Bread
1 package yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
5 1/2 - 6 cups flour

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the warm milk, butter, sugar, salt, eggs, and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Do not knead.

Place dough into a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Stir the dough down and spoon into a greased and floured tube pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan onto a clean kitchen towel.