I see myself as a fairly good cook. I can make something without a recipe, create my own recipes, and alter any recipes I have to fit my family's tastes. However, for some reason I never ventured to create a “clam chowder” type recipe. This is truly strange considering every time I go to a restaurant and they offer clam chowder, I order it. I love clam or creamy seafood chowder, and often when I love a recipe I am anxious to try it. But again, for some reason I would shy away from trying this. Perhaps part of the fear came from creating the cream base or cooking with clams. I’m not really sure, but I finally overcame the fear by cheating.

I know that we always teach our children not to cheat, but I have to admit that cheating in cooking is sometimes a wonderful thing. By cheating with this recipe, I’ve created the seafood chowder I love without a lot of preparation and hassle (and added a few extra twists). Enjoy!

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cans cream of potato soup

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp minced onion

1 cup half and half

1 cup milk

¼ tsp black pepper

1 cup celery

2 10 ounce cans of clam, undrained

1 tsp creole seasoning

4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 16 oz package frozen corn

1 pound pre-cooked tail off shrimp

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients except shrimp, mix well. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Add shrimp, cover and cook on high an additional 30-45 minutes until shrimp is tender.