Clam Chowder – for Those Cold Winter Nights

In a large stock pot cook diced bacon until crisp and cooked completely. Add potatoes, carrots, onions and celery and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Deglaze pan by adding the bottled clam juice, the juice only from the canned clams (set the clams aside), and the stock. Simmer approximately 20 minutes until potatoes and carrots are cooked. Add the half and half and clams and bring to a boil. Add either cornstarch or flour that has been mixed with the 4 Tablespoons of water to thicken chowder to desired consistency. I used cornstarch and added to boiling soup, and then stirred until thickened. Serve hot with sourdough bread.