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Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Saturday 30 January 2016

Seafood Chowder and A Cup of Tea for the End of January

Hello my sweet friends! Hope you all had a good week.




There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea. ~ Bernard-Paul Heroux

We are expecting a snow storm today so I made a quick dessert to enjoy for the weekend. Thank you BJ at Sweet Nothings for the inspiration!



Here it is the end of January and I must tell you I am elated that February is almost here. I am counting down the days till springtime because I do not like the cold weather.



However, the cold weather does have its advantages. When Jack Frost etches designs on the window panes, nothing beats a warm cup of tea or coffee, hot chocolate or hot apple cider. Or a big bowl of seafood chowder!

The other day I had a hankering for some seafood chowder. So I made some and it was delicious! I have made this for Christmas a few times for a special treat. 

This is my own recipe which I adapted from a simple clam chowder.

Seafood Chowder


Melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan 

Add 2-3 TBSP minced onion
1/4 cup chopped celery

Cook over medium heat until onion is limp.


Cut up 2 cups of potatoes into cubes

Add one small carrot sliced, for colour more than anything
1/2 tsp salt or more depending on taste
pinch of pepper
Add 1 cup boiling water to onion mixture with the potatoes and carrots.

Cover and cook for about fifteen minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring often.


Add 1-10 oz. can baby clams with the juice and reheat. 




Add 1 cup chopped crab meat 
Add I cup thawed scallops. I used the small ones.




Heat altogether until hot.




Add 2-1/2 to 2-2/3 cups hot milk 

Heat until hot but do not boil. 

Season to taste and serve immediately. Makes about five large or eight small servings.


I have served the chowder in my buffalo check bowls accompanied by warm biscuits. Just the thing on a cold winter's day.




The tulips are in the grocery store now and I picked some up for my tea table. I love how they bring a touch of springtime into one's home. Don't you love it when the tulips dance?



I decided to use my winter white tea ware today. Underneath it all is my crocheted tablecloth which I think resembles snowflakes.

Soft and pretty, the tea ware looks wonderful with just about any decor you surround yourself with. I am using my new snowflake teapot again today as well as Skye McGhie teacups and a few pieces of JB Rose Chintz. Do you see the vintage crocheted pot holder? 



It was a gift from a blogger friend. Isn't it sweet! Thank you, my dear friend, you know who you are!



For dessert, I made this quick and easy chocolate pie from a Jello cooked pudding and pie mix and poured it into a ready made Oreo crumb crust.



When my children were growing up, it was usually my habit to make two pies every weekend. Every kind of pie you can think of, and they were all made from scratch. Although this one is from a mix, Hubby will be happy to enjoy a slice of it with his tea.



When there is a storm brewing I try to make something quick and this filled the bill today. Sorry about the shadows and poor lighting. The snow is really coming down and it is a very dreary day out there.



Enjoy your cuppa tea and your weekend. See you on Monday for No Place Like Home. Take care everyone! If you wish to go to that post simply click here.

Life is like a teacup
       to be filled to the brim
and enjoyed with friends. ~ unknown




I am joining the following parties as well~

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Bernideen's TTCG Blog Party
Tea Cup Tuesday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home


 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

17 comments :

  1. I am in love with the pot holder - I was focused on it before you began telling us about it. I really do need to find a patter to make a few.

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  2. Sandi your table setting is just beautiful! The tablecloth and all the pinks, the tulips, so elegant! Your chocolate dessert looks delicious and the brown looks nice with pink. :)
    I'll bet your snow looks so pretty. Stay warm and safe!
    Gina

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  3. Hi Sandi, the chowder looks delicious and comforting especially in the type of weather you are having. The first time I tried clam chowder was in Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I think it was nice as I have nothing to compare it with. The choc pie looks indulgent too YUM. I hope you stay warm. I cant blame you for not liking winter.
    Sending you warm hugs from land down under.

    Aida

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  4. I'm with you Sandi....countdown to spring. We've been actually pretty lucky in that we got little snow if any and not many days below 0. Love the tulips. Have an amazing week and stay safe and cozy.

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  5. Another snow storm, heh? I know how you long for spring and how your winters drag on. It's so very different where I live. I had to laugh when I read your recipe and instructions....when I was a new bride, I tried to make clam chowder for my hubby. I did boil it and you know what happened! LOL. I should try again...never have. I like your idea of seafood chowder as I am not a big clam fan. Stay warm and cozy,
    Linda

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  6. YUM! Your seafood chowder and chocolate pie made me salivate, Sandi! I've been enjoying the longer days and am counting down the days until springtime.

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  7. Seafood chowder must be comfort food on the island, not something I grew up with but it sure looks good Sandi. You've set a pretty tea table with your vintage pot holder, pink accents, lace and tulips - very feminine.

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  8. I have honestly never had clam chowder.. even though I lived in Maine for many years. (I usually get fried clams) but yours looks VERY GOOD. And what a sweet table you set today.

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  9. I am going to save your recipe for seafood chowder, Sandi! I made a corn chowder with shrimp for our potluck lunch at church yesterday. It was very good, but your seafood chowder looks outstanding and I will try it soon.

    I love your snowflake teapot and the beautiful teacups too. The vintage rose potholder is so sweet. I have several of those but I believe they all have red roses. I like the pink one better. What a lovely tea for a winter's day!

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  10. Hi Sandi...I have crocheted rose pot holders my mother made. Love your pretty white tea setting. And the snowflake teapot is certainly appropriate for a lot of folks! Have a great week!
    Ruth

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  11. Your chowder with biscuits sounds like the perfect wintry meal, dear Sandi. A slice of chocolate would be such a treat for dessert, too. Wish I could share a slice with you!

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  12. What a beautiful post Sandi. I love a good fish chowder and your chocolate pie looks delicious and easy to make. I'm on my second bouquet of PEI tulips already! I love them this time of the year as they bring a lot of cheer to these winter days. Have a blessed week!

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  13. Lovely post. That crochet tablecloth is marvelous! Thanks for sharing the recipe. A gorgeous table to brighten your day!

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  14. Sandi:
    I will be copying your recipe when I get home - it looks delicious and I think my husband would love Seafood Chowder! Thanks for sharing these delicious yummies. Your tulips are causing us to long for spring - such a pretty display!!!

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  15. I love a hearty chowder, especially during winter...pinning, this looks great!

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  16. Oh, I wish the head chef at our house was not allergic to mollusks. Otherwise, I would be sharing your recipe with him.

    He's not allergic to chocolate so maybe I should make a chocolate pie.

    Thanks for Sharing Your Cup!

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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