Clam Chowder and Can Demi Lovato Cook?

Hi everyone.It is so nice to be back from vacation. We came home early, rushing so that I could watch Camp Rock 2 by 8PM Friday night. Not bad, but I am more excited to see the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday to see how Taylor Swift and all the other younguns do on stage.

These days I am more of an observer in the world of pop music and teeny bopper culture but that’s o.k. I am an active participator in other activities such as checking out the hottest trends in Rhode Island cooking. Take Aunt Judy’s Clam chowder, for example. I’ll bet Demi Lovato would like to learn how to cook some of this soup for Joe Jonas. Maybe then they could get back together. Their break up really pained me. I hope she doesn’t go the way of Britney Spears after the Justin Timberlake breakup.

Anyway, please try Aunt Judy’s chowder. We will eat it all winter and think of our Rhode Island summer 2010 with she and Uncle Art.

Aunt Judy’s Clam Chowder

1 1/2 large sweet onions sliced into thin discs and then cut in half
Canola or vegetable oil
2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 can water
4-5 Large, peeled and cubed potatoes (cut into 3/4 ” cubes
5 eight oz. bottles of clam juice
1 TBS butter
5-6 cans chopped clams (tuna can size)
bay leaf (optional but Uncle Art says it’s a MUST DO!

In a large pasta type pot, heat up the oil and saute onions until translucent but not browned
In a med. sized bowl, crush tomatoes from the can with your hands until mushy. Discard any hard pieces of tomato
Pour into pot
Next, pour in tomato soup and then fill the can with water and pour that into pot as well
Bring mixture to a simmer
Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste
Throw in the peeled potatoes and the clam juice. Stir and simmer for about 1/2 hour or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy
When the potatoes are tender, add the butter and the bay leaf if using
Add the chopped clams, simmer another ten minutes, add salt and pepper and enjoy!