Clam Chowder or Cheese Soup

2 cup finely chopped onions

2 cup finely chopped celery

4 cups finely diced potatoes

1 tbs. Parsley

2 6 ½  oz. cans minced clams, reserve juice

1 cup butter 

1 cup flour

1 quart ½ and ½

1 ½ tsp. Salt

few grains pepper

½ tsp. Sugar

Drain clams over vegetables in a large soup pan.  Add enough water to barely cover veggies and simmer till barely tender; do NOT drain.  Melt butter, add flour and blend.  Add ½ and ½ and cook till thick, stirring constantly. Stir this mixture into the pan with the cooked veggies.  Add clams, salt and pepper, sugar.  This makes a LARGE pan of soup.  Do not substitute margarine for butter or milk for half and half.


To make Cheese soup, omit clams, add 1 large can chopped green chilis when you are simmering the vegetables, and as much grated cheddar cheese as you like (at least 1 1/2 lbs) after you stir the half and half mixture into the cooked veggies.  Serve with heated tortillas.