We enjoyed warming up with over 175 entries for our
Favorite Winter Soup Giveaway and had to narrow it down to our winners. Today's recipe is from Tina Brown and it's a simple, delicious clam chowder that can slow cook all day and be ready for your evening meal. Give it a try (and check out our other favorite recipes below).
Crockpot Clam Chowder
from Tina Brown
4 (6 1/2 oz.) cans minced clams with juice
1/2 lb. salt pork or bacon, diced
1 cup chopped onion
6 to 8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 c. water
3 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons pepper
4 cups half and half cream or milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
Cut clams into bite-sized pieces if necessary. In skillet, saute salt pork or bacon and onion until golden brown; drain. Put into slow cooker with clams. Add all remaining ingredients, except milk, cornstarch, and parsley. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or until vegetables are tender. During the last hour of cooking, combine 1 cup of milk with the cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining milk and stir well; heat through. Top each serving with a little chopped parsley and serve with crackers or crusty French bread.
Runners Up!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
from Laura at
Tide and Thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
8 cups of chicken stock or broth
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
1 bay leaf
8 oz (1.5 cups) orzo pasta
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice,and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and orzo to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes, until the orzo is tender. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Chocolate Soup
from blog reader David
(great for dipping cookies)
4 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons cornstarch
5 tablespoons cold water
Directions
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla bean. Bring the mixture almost to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let it steep for 20 minutes. Strain and return mixture to the pan minus the vanilla bean. Put the pan on low heat, add the chocolate, and whisk until the chocolate melts. Combine the cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Add the slurry a little at a time, whisking constantly, until the soup is thick and smooth. You will know it is ready when the bubbles are gone and the chocolate has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
