Manhattan Clam Chowder

3 slices bacon
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 medium onions, finely chopped
4 small potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce or to taste
1 pint minced clams or 2 (6 1/2 ounce) cans
1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup snipped fresh parsley

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels. Crumble the bacon into a crock pot.

Discard the bacon drippings, leaving about 1 teaspoon in the skillet. Saut the celery and onions in the bacon drippings in the same skillet until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to the crock pot. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, thyme, pepper and hot sauce.

Drain the liquid from the clams into a pint measuring cup. Add enough water to it to make 2 cups of liquid. Add the clam liquid water mixture - not the clams - to the crock pot. Stir in the tomatoes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours. During the last hour of cooking, stir in the minced clams. Cover and cook for 1 hour.

Stir in the parsley and cook for 15 minutes.

Yields 8 servings.