Clam Chowda Mug o' Soup with Deviled Ham and Cheese Melt Mug Toppers – Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery with greens, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce (eyeball it)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pint half-and-half
• 2 cups chicken stock, from soup aisle
• 1 cup hashbrown-style raw shredded potatoes, on the dairy aisle at the market
• 2 cans whole baby clams and their juice
• 2 sandwich-size English muffins, split
• 3/4 pound boiled deli ham, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 3-4 tablespoons yellow mustard (eyeball it)
• A handful of parsley, curly or flat
• 8 deli slices sharp white cheddar cheese (about 8-10 ounces)