We Shall Not Capitulate...

Well, what a week this has been!  We managed to make our return and have some real food...again, we have sustained on cereal for the most part...our time has been consumed by this super-awesome spreadsheet..yup...actually more than one...shhh....those spreadsheets don't know about one another..keep it on the DL..Being that it is the weekend, we had some time to cook...we have set the bar rather low...as to avoid any sort of disappointment...dinner was not super fancy nor was it all too photogenic...hmmm..that sounds vaguely familiar...

"Oh, Mama...I think you may have just described yourself!!  Hahahahahaha!!!  I really do crack myself up...."

Yeah, she's quite the comedian...although she fails to realize our situations are hardly amusing...but they may be slapstick at times...it's probably more along the lines of a Comedy of Errors...I shall spare you the details....hahahahaha..JK....and we should move along to our soup.  I know..I know what you're thinking..after a week, all I've got is soup...again, that bar...it is quite low, so zip it...not to mention it has been cold, cold, cold and rainy, rainy, rainy and windy, windy, windy...but it is spring break, so that explains everything...Clam Chowder, of the New England variety seemed quite fitting for the weather...besides I really wanted some...

Dinner Components: Cream, Clams, Flour, Butter, Chicken Stock, Clam Juice, Garlic, Bacon, Potatoes and Onion...

I will admit, the clam juice...it's sorta against my religion to use that stuff from the bottle, but I am all out of seafood stock..not to mention I didn't actually have time to make some...I have an excuse for everything!

Begin by browning some bacon in your Dutch Oven of Righteousness...a bit of an over-kill..but I love this thing...and bacon as well...that's why we made extra...because bacon is the bomb...and Written-Off Penny rolls no other way....hahahahaha

"Um..Mama...just so you know, you are hardly righteous...hahahahaha...please don't become indignant...I am merely exercising my First Amendment Right...I don't care what your NDA says....hahahahaha"

While your bacon is browning...chop up your vegetables...this is FUN!  And we are young...sorry...couldn't resist that joke...mincing and dicing is a rather therapeutic activity...

"Oh, Mama...you'd better keep on a-choppin'....from what I have witnessed, you need a TON of therapy...I guess you'll be dicing vegetables until 2025....hahahahahahaha"

Remove your browned bacon...add a little butter and saute the onion and garlic...ginormous man-hands not required, but highly recommended...

Proceed to sprinkle in a little flour to thicken and such....

Add a diced potato and carrot...continue to saute...

Once things have sufficiently softened..continue by adding (yes..this is a cringe-worthy moment...it's from a bottle...ugh...again, my apologies..) clam juice..yeah, ok..I said it out loud...now excuse me while I run off and cry...I was slightly exaggerating...however, it does bug me..kinda like Reality Television....and Lawn Ornaments...

Add a cup of chicken stock...at this point, everything needs to simmer for about 20-30 minutes...you can use this opportunity to walk the dog...in the rain.....that's about as exciting as it got tonight...

"Oh, Mama...maybe I'll just rest...we did have quite a great time with that cute law student last night...rest is best, no?????  I'm tired!!!"  Excellent point, my Sweet Pea...it was the only fun thing we did all week long...

After everything has simmered...add some cream...now I SHOULD have used the fat-free half and half...trust me...I couldn't bring myself...it is borderline blasphemous to desecrate a cream-based soup with something fat-free...although, now I feel like a puffer fish..perhaps tomorrow night we shall have a salad..hahahahaha...doubtful...maybe we'll just go to the gym...hahahahahaha...that's even funnier...deep down I know those things just aren't going to happen...kinda like telling yourself a Kardashian wouldn't use Twitter for shameless self promotion....or that pigs really do fly....

Now add your minced clams...again, had I had more energy, I would have used real live clams...it's just...well..you know, standing at the seafood counter...I just couldn't do it..although when it came time to open the can...I realized my can opener broke last week...improvisation was necessary...as you can see...shall we throw in a yikes and an ouch or two...that lid was sharp...just ask my now band-aid covered right hand...

We made up for the clams by having these delicious crackers...oh, my dear heavens..they are so good they deserve way more than an OMG...You wouldn't expect that sort of reaction from a cracker..but crackers are just under-rated, IMHO...

Crumble the bacon and place atop the soup....

This is our 'action' shot, so to speak..Soup tends to be terribly unphotogenic as I mentioned previously..but it was what was absolutely needed today...

Well, my internet friends...it was nice to be back...pleasant and enjoyable one might even say..well, at least for me, anyway..I'm sure you may have different thoughts..We did sell our television the other day..that's a great thing..we have plans on returning tomorrow...it is the weekend and I am hopeful it will allow for some more free time...maybe we'll even cook some real food...we have mad plans...tee-hee...You should make some soup...it's perfectly crappy weather to do such a thing...G'night...