My mother made this clam dip for special occasions, served with potato chips, mostly because back in the 1950s and '60s that's all there was. I also like it with pretzels. I'm not giving exact measurements because it's from memory, and you might want to make more or less of it.

Clam Dip

1 big package cream cheese (I use the lower fat Neufchatel)
1 - 2 cans minced clams
Worchestershire sauce
Onion juice (it comes in little bottles in the spice section) see note
Salt
(Grated cheddar cheese)

Soften the cream cheese. Drain the clams and save the juice. Stir the clams into the cream cheese and add clam juice to make it of a consistency so the potato chips won't break off in it. Stir in the remaining ingredients and thin some more if needed. Note: the onion juice is so you don't have chunks of onion. Maybe you like chunks of onion. Anyhow, you could mince some onion real fine, put it in a strainer, and rinse it off with hot water to make it less potent.

====

Hot dips weren't the thing at our house, but here is a hot version of clam dip:

Hot Clam Dip

2 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, drained (save juice)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup butter
1 small onion, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 pinch paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine minced clams and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
In a medium-size saucepan, combine butter, onion, green bell pepper, parsley, oregano, hot sauce, cayenne, and garlic powder. Stir vegetables over a medium-low heat until butter is melted, and vegetables are starting to get tender. Mix in the clams and breadcrumbs. If it seems too dry, stir in some of the reserved clam juice.
Pour mixture into an ovenproof baking dish and top with 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

You can leave off the cheese and substitute finely minced bacon that you saute with the vegetables. Then, it's more like Clams Casino.

Good served with crackers, whatever of the many thousands of kinds you prefer.