Lisa'S Creamy Clam Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 cup butter
4 potatoes, chopped into small chunks
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 (8 ounce) bottles clam juice
2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon thyme, or to taste
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 pinch garlic salt
1 pinch onion powder
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon cornstarch, or as needed
1 tablespoon water, or as needed

Preparation

Heat a large soup pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add butter, potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, salt, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir 10 minutes. Sprinkle in flour and stir 1 minute. Add milk, clam juice, clams, lemon juice, thyme, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder. Simmer on low until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add cream and simmer 5 minutes more.
To thicken chowder if necessary, combine cornstarch and water together in a bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to chowder and stir until incorporated and chowder is thickened.