Seafood chowder

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 cup butter

1 stalk celery, minced
1 small onion, minced
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon dried marjoram
3 tablespoons flour or 3 tablespoons baking mix (I use buttermilk baking mix)
3 1⁄2 cups milk (or more if you like a thinner soup More milk can be added as needed after soup is completed.)
2 cans condensed cream of potato soup (undiluted)
1 1⁄2 lbs shrimp or 1 1⁄2 lbs scallops or 1 1⁄2 lbs clams or 1 1⁄2 lbs crab (whatever you want your soup to be I li
ke to use shrimp, scallops and whole baby clams. I've even use)
chopped fresh parsley (to garnish)

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DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat.

Saute' celery and onion until tender.
Add cayenne pepper, thyme, marjoram and flour or baking mix and stir until smooth.
Add milk and condensed soup and stir until piping hot.
Meanwhile clean and chop seafood as you like.
I usually halve the shrimp and then cut one half in half and leave the other half whole.
If using extra large scallops I usually quarter them.
When soup is piping hot add seafood and stir on medium heat until seafood is cooked through.
Serve in bowls topped with some fresh parsley along with some crusty bread or oyster crackers and a nice salad

COMSOMME JULIENNE
8 c. chicken consomme or stock
1 c. celery in julienne strips, blanched
1 c. carrot in julienne strips, blanched
1 c. onion, thin round slices and blanched
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp. minced parsley
Julienne - cut vegetables into long, thin, narrow strips.
Blanch - blanch each vegetable separately.

In a large saucepan, bring consomme to simmer. Add blanched vegetables. Simmer for 5 minutes or until vegeta
bles are tender but still crisp. Check for seasoning, if necessary, add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsle
y and serve hot
Potato Ham soup
INGREDIENTS

3 1⁄2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (I keep mine with the peel)
1⁄3 cup celery, diced
1⁄3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped carrot
1 -2 cup ham, diced and cooked
3 1⁄4 cups water or 3 1⁄4 cups chicken broth or 3 1⁄4 cups ham stock
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules (omit if using chicken broth)
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
DIRECTIONS

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water/broth in stockpot and bring to boil.
Then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt (if using), and pepper.
In separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick.
Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form and all milk is added. Turn up to medium heat. Continue to stir
until thick (4-5 minutes).
Add in cheese and stir until melted.
Stir the cheese mixture into the stockpot and cook until heated through. (I also will break up some of the potatoe
s for thickness. It gets thicker as it cools and next day).

Cream of mushroom soup

Ingredients
5 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all
-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon sherry
Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, cook mushrooms in the broth with onion and thyme until tender, about 10 to 15 minu
tes.
In blender or food processor, puree the mixture , leaving some chunks of vegetable in it. Set aside.
In the saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the flour until smooth. Add the salt, pepper, half and half and vegetabl
e puree. Stirring constantly, bring soup to a boil and cook until thickened. Adjust seasonings to taste, and add sh
erry.