Hearty Seafood Chowder and Sweet Bacon & Herb Muffins

- 2 cans (10 3/4 ozs each) condensed New England clam chowder
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup canned corn, drained
- 2 tablespoons green pepper, minced
- 6 ounces shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
- 4 ounces (2/3 cup) imitation crabmeat
- black pepper, freshly ground
- parsley, chopped
- Sweet Bacon & Herb Muffins [recipe follows]
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Combine clam chowder, milk, corn and green pepper in medium saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Add shrimp and crabmeat. Heat gently until seafood is hot, about 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with pepper and parsley.

Serves 4

- 6 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, (or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried) such as thyme, rosemary and basil
- 4 Bays English Muffins, split, toasted

Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on microwave bacon rack placed in baking dish. Pat brown sugar onto bacon slices to make an even layer. Cover lightly with wax paper. Microwave on defrost setting 15 to 18 minutes until bacon is crisp and sugar is melted. Turn every 4 minutes. (Sugar will stick to wax paper in beginning but will release in the end.) Carefully remove wax paper; scrape any brown sugar back onto bacon. With scissors, cut each strip into fourths. Cool to room temperature.

Mix butter and herbs; spread on warm, lightly toasted English muffins so that butter melts. Place bacon pieces on buttered muffins. Serve.