Danette's clam chowder

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb minced clams or 2 cans minced clams
1 cup onion chopped fine
1 cup celery chopped fine
2 cps potatoes chopped fine
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
optional: 2 T red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Place chopped veggies in a pot. Drain clams and their juice over vegetables.  Add enough water to barely cover and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender about 20 minutes.  In a smaller pot, melt butter; add flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add cream and cook and stir until thick using a whisk to blend.  Add to vegetables.  Cook and heat through.   Season.

 WOW! this was my first time making clam chowder, and i wanted to lick the pot clean. not bragging. this was just the best clam chowder i remembered eating. i served it to a friend right after i made it and she kept saying, "wow! if i hadn't watched you make this, i wouldn't believe you had."
 so, it's obviously not the cook who makes a recipe good. it's what's in it.

update - 11/13/11 - tonight i made this recipe with double the veggies and clams, a pint of f.f. half and half and a pint of skim milk, and 3 and a half T of r.w. vinegar. it was still REALLY GOOD.  maybe better... but maybe that is just the part of my brain thinking it tastes better because it isn't as bad for me... then again, maybe not.

-Shanda