Southern Clam Chowder

1/2 lb bacon chopped into pieces
1 white onion diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs red potatoes, diced with peel on
1 cup carrots diced
1 cup celery sliced thin
2 packets of onion soup mix
2 cans of chopped clams with juice
1 qt half and half
plain potato flakes
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan brown bacon, onion and garlic.  Once bacon is brown and crispy remove from pot using a slotted spoon to leave the grease behind, set aside.  Add potatoes, carrots, and celery to grease.  Use the juice from the 2 cans of clams to cover the potatoes, you will need to add water to have enough liquid, stir in onion soup mix.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft about 15 mins.  Add bacon pieces, clams, and half and half simmer until soup thickens up.  Add potato flakes slowly if you need to thicken it up.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I served with rolls and topped it with tobasco sauce :)