Clam and Bacon Linguine

Because bacon makes everything better. Flowers too, am I right? I found them in the herb section at the grocery store - didn't even look at the price, just bought em'.

What you'll need:

• Linguine 
• 5 slices of thick cut bacon
• 1/2 stick butter
• 8 oz (around 1 cup) clam juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 30 little neck clams, or 1 12 oz can of minced clams
• A splash (2 tablepsoons) heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: parmesan and fresh parsely for topping

What to do:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare the linguine according to package instructions.
• Slice the bacon longways down the middle then the other way into little cubes - cook in a skillet and set aside.
• In the same skillet you cooked the bacon pieces in, melt the butter. Add in the clam juice and minced garlic. Stir, and bring to a simmer.
  • If using fresh clams, wash the outsides of the shells off in the sink, then add them into the skillet. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. All of the clams should open up, discard any that stay shut.
  • If using minced clams, pour them and the juice from the can into the skillet.
• After the clams are in the skillet - add in the heavy cream and stir. (If the sauce starts to get too thick, you can add in more clam juice or some of the pasta water that you're cooking the pasta in!)
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper,  add in the pasta. I always add the bacon in at the end because I like it to stay crispy.
• Top with parmesan and fresh chopped parsley.