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A mix of clouds and sun. High 64F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 53F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.

It’s absolutely no secret that I love being out there on the ocean fishing for just about anything, but as we leave the Yaquina Bay on a minus tide and I see those clammers out there filling their nets with clams, I have the sudden urge to jump out of that moving boat and swim to shore to join them.

I love clamming, and I love stocking my freezer with clams for guests when they join us for dinner even more. If you’ve ever been to my house for a meal, there’s a very good chance that I’ve whipped up a batch of my fried cockle clams for you — it’s my go-to dish for company because those clams are always a crowd pleaser.

Well, this past weekend as I was crossing the bar in search of salmon, I was able to rest easy knowing that I wasn’t missing out on getting some clams in the freezer, and that my children were also headed out on an adventure of their own, clamming along the Alsea Bay with their grandmas — my mom, Berta Hall, and my mother-in-law, Barbara Wiley. We are so fortunate to live so close to our family and that our children are able to share experiences and create memories like this with their grandparents. 

In celebration of those yummy cockles my little ones brought home that day, I whipped up their favorite Mac & Cheese then topped it with those crispy cockle clams, which was an instant hit with the whole family.

Fried Cockle Clam Mac & Cheese

½ teaspoon Johnny’s seasoning salt

2. In one large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and Johnny’s seasoning salt. Whisk to fully combine the ingredients. In separate bowl, whisk together milk and egg.

3. Dredge clams on both sides with the flour mixture, then to the egg mixture on both sides, and again into the flour mixture. For this step, I press the flour mixture down onto the clams to ensure they’re dredged fully. Gently shake off excess flour.

4. Fry to a golden brown, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, enjoy!

1 teaspoon Johnny’s seasoning salt

2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

1. In a large pot, cook noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. In a cast iron skillet/medium pot, melt butter, then whisk in flour and Johnny’s. Whisk for a couple minutes until the flour begins to turn a light golden brown.

3. Slowly add milk, whisking until combined. Heat mixture until it bubbles over medium heat.

4. Reduce heat to low and add in cheese. Stir until melted. Top with fried clams and dig in!

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