A Little Somethin' To Warm Your Bones

I'm not sure what kind of weather you're experiencing today but outside of my house it is pure yuck.  Its about 46 degrees, raining like crazy, windy, dark, yucky.  It's the kind of day that leaves a chill in your bones that's tough to shake off making it the perfect day for a hot bowl of soup that requires little effort (so you can maximize your time spent being cozy with your favorite people or pets watching football or movies or whatever strikes your fancy).  This recipe for Salmon Chowder with Dill is from Food Network Magazine.  It's a Crock Pot meal that doesn't involve a can of soup or an envelope of seasonings or any of those things that drive me nuts.  This is real food made super easy.

It all begins with some clam juice. The recipe calls for 3 cups of clam juice or chicken broth.  I used a combo of the two, more clam than chicken.  You put it in a bowl in the microwave and get it good and hot.

Get a pound of red skinned potatoes and dice them up.

Place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Chop two stalks of celery, I recommend chopping the leaves up too, they really add a nice flavor to any chowder, if you you ask me...

Toss the celery and and two sliced carrots in with the potatoes.

Next comes half of a white onion chopped and two cloves of garlic, minced.  Right into the crock it goes.

Now you gather up your fresh herbs.  This is dill, parsley, thyme and a couple of bay leaves.

Peel off a wide strip of lemon zest from a lemon...

find some twine...

and tie it together in a nice little bundle.

Place your bundle (of joy) on top of the veggies.

Pour in the hot clam juice, cover and cook on high for 3.5 hours.

After the 3.5 hours you'll get your fish ready.

Season one pound of wild caught salmon with salt and pepper.

Stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream into the Crock Pot...

and partially submerge the salmon.  Cover and cook for 30 more minutes.

Chop a little more dill and some green onion for garnish.

This is the perfect time to throw a salad together.

Now you go enjoy that nice soup and salad on a bone chilling fall day! Click here for the full recipe.