2 6-1/2 oz cans minced (or chopped) clams
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1 tsp garlic powder
cracked black pepper (about 8-10 twists of pepper mill)
2 T cornstarch
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor
2-1/2 cups 1% milk (I used 1-3/4 c skim and 3/4 c reg. half and half)
Drain clams, reserving liquid. Set clams aside. Add enough water to clam liquid to equal 1 cup liquid. In a 2 qt saucepan combine clam liquid, carrots, mushrooms, onion, celery, garlic and thyme. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.
While liquid and veggies are simmering, add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the cornstarch. Add this to the mixture in saucepan when done simmering, then add the bouillon, then the remaining milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 min. more. Stir in drained clams and heat through.
I adapted this from http://www.bhg.com. I found that by using the half and half in just the small amount, it gave the chowder enough of the richness that was missing the first time I made it using just skim milk. The mushrooms make a nice substitute for the potatoes that are supposed to go in chowder. Hope you like it!
note from Barbara: I found this on another web site. I have never tried it with the half and half. It is pretty soupy with the skim milk but it tastes really good. It is phase 2 because of the carrots and cornstarch.
