Clam Chowder and Garlic Cheese Biscuits

This clam chowder was another from a cookbook that I have. It is very delicious! However, I learned the hard way: it makes a lot. I should have taken the note when the writer said it's her favorite to serve around Christmas time. So I suggest that you cut it in half, unless you are feeding over 6 people.

Anyways, here is the recipe. I adjusted it a bit from the book so here it goes:

Clam Chowder 

2 to 3 cans minced clams

1 C onion, chopped

1 C celery, diced

2 C potato, peeled and diced

3/4 C butter

3/4 C flour

1 qt half and half (I used fat-free, which worked completely fine once I added about another 3 Tbsp of butter to keep it creamy)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper (if you like it a little spicy. If you don't, then you can cut it down. I personally liked this much pepper because I'm usually up for a mild flavor kick.)

Add vegetables to a large stockpot. Open cans of clams and pour in the juice with the vegetables, reserving the clams, then add enough water to barely cover. Bring vegetables to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn down heat and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and stir until smooth. Cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add half and half, constantly stirring with a wire whisk until thick and smooth, making a white sauce. Add white sauce to vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Stir in salt, pepper, and clams. Heat through and serve. Adding clams at the last minute keeps them tender instead of chewy. Serve in bread bowls or with garlic cheese biscuits. I actually used the garlic cheese biscuit recipe from the back of the Bisquick box, but there is also this one, which involves more butter and cheese:

Garlic Cheese Biscuits (from The Girl Who Ate Everything): 

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups Bisquick

4 Tbsp cold butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Butter Glaze:

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or line one cookie sheet with parchment; set aside.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter (I just used 2 forks). Don't worry about mixing too thoroughly; there will be small chunks of butter in the mix about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

Drop 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto the lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes in preheated oven or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

While the biscuits are baking, melt butter is a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread the garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the freshly coated biscuits. Makes one dozen.