Creamy Clam Chowder

There are as many recipes for this as there are Chins in the China town phone directory.  It's cold here for the first of December and soup is on the menu for dinner tonight.

2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
Put in 3qt Sauce pan, add the juice of two cans of minced clams and just enough water to cover. and simmer on med heat for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, in a 6qt stock pot melt 1 stick of butter. when melted, whisk in 1/2 cup flour for a roux. cook that on medium heat for a minute or two, and add 1 qt of half and half. let that thicken up and by that time the vegetables are ready. pour the whole thing into the stock pot. stir to combine and let it simmer to thicken up again. Until it coats a spoon. add the drained minced clams and serve with thick slices of crusty Italian or french bread,

For a lower fat and calorie version,  use fat free half and half, (I don't get it either)  But it winter and some fat is good.  I love clams so I use chopped clams or whole baby clams.