Clam and Corn Chowder

I have reservations about this dish. On one hand, it was delicious. I'm not including a photo as the good stuff mostly sits down toward the bottom, but it was very tasty. The problem I have with it is that it simply cost way too much! My bill at the store was nearly $40 for the supplies to make a pot of chowder that certainly fed more than the 10 servings it touted. Still, I can't see spending that much money to make one dish, even though I've enjoyed it for the better part of a week.
Overall the recipe is simple and relatively quick. The problem is that it makes SO MUCH! And the aforementioned price. I've seen other clam chowder recipes that use chicken broth in place of clam juice, for the sodium savings. And I would suggest that this recipe could easily be halved and still make plenty for a family. But $20 for soup for a family of 4? You could almost match that by buying soup at the store, and you would save time and hassle.
So overall, I'm calling this a miss, due only to the amount it makes and the price. In the recipe below, I'll give the original, and then I'll include half of what it normally called for because I can't see making that much at a time unless you are cooking for a group function of some sort.
The taste was great, though the chowder was a little thin for my taste. I added a can of corn, as I like the texture corn brings and I think corn adds a nice flavor to the chowder. Like I said, it's good, just a little too much, and a little too costly.

Clam and Corn Chowder
4 slices of think-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2)
2 large onions, cut into medium dice (note - I used only 1, and would cut that down if I were cutting the recipe)
1/2 cup flour (1/4 cup)
8 6.5 oz. cans of minced clams with juice separated (4)
4 8-oz bottles of clam juice (2)
2 cups water (1)
6 medium boiling potatoes, medium dice (I used 4 and would cut to 2 if halving the recipe, though the additional potatoes might thicken it up a bit)
2 large bay leaves (1)
1 tsp. dried thyme (1/2 tsp.)
2 cups heavy cream (1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped parsley (1/4 cup)
salt and pepper to taste
Oyster crackers (for serving)

Fry bacon in a large soup pot until bacon is crispy. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon. (Interestingly, the bacon is never used again - only the drippings! I crumbled the bacon in for added flavor). Add onions to the pot and saute until softened. Add flour, stir until slightly colored. Whisk in clam juice (from the drained clams and the bottles) and water. Add potatotes, bay leaves, and thyme bringing to a simmer.Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add clams, ceam, and parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and serve immediately with oyster crackers.

Again, this was delicious, but expensive and it made too much. For this recipe, I'm calling this a miss.
Score:
Hit - 3
Miss - 5