Chowdah

If you can't have a bowl of cream-heavy clam chowder because you're watching the waistline, this is a yummy alternative. But Gina of Gina's Skinny Recipes needs to realize that raw potato cubes do not cook in 10 minutes.That's just crazy talk.

Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 16 oz • Calories: 305 Points: 6.5 pts

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 large white onion, chopped fine
• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups 2% milk
• 2 (10 oz) cans clams, drained, juice reserved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• kosher salt and fresh pepper
• 1 cup frozen corn

Instructions:
In a large pot, melt butter.  
Add onions, and heat on low heat until onions are translucent.
Add flour and stir.  
Add milk, clam juice, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and salt & pepper to taste.  
Cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.  (Um, yeah...no. I had to cook on medium for 25 minutes before the potatoes were soft... and Mike still commented on how the potatoes could be softer. Not sure...maybe I bought the hardest potatoes in the universe.) 
Remove half of the soup and put in blender. Return to pot.  
Add clams, corn and adjust salt if needed and cook another 5 minutes.  
Serve and garnish with fresh parsley.

I served it up with a couple of pieces of garlic Texas toast. Oooohwee... you gonna like it!