In the kitchen: Chicken Stock

Making your own stock is very easy and relatively uninvolved.

Why bother?

1. Transparency - even when you buy organic stocks you don't usually know where the chicken is coming from. Making your own allows you complete control over the quality of ingredients you choose to put in it. 
2. Taste - you can adjust the sodium and flavor to your liking or to a specific recipe.
3. Money - buying a whole chicken may seem like a lot of money at first but you end up with a ton of chicken to eat and more stock than would come in the standard container you buy at a store. 

Ingredients: 

    1 shallot or onion

    3 stalks of celery

    2 large carrots

    2 bay leaves

    1 whole chicken*

*you can usually find one at a grocery store or at your local market - ask to have the insides removed if it grosses you out.

Steps:

1. Chop all veggies and begin to sautee on low in large pot (this can be done in a crock pot also)
2. When you start to smell the onion add the whole chicken (make sure insides are removed)
3. Add enough water to cover the chicken, cover, and cook on low for 45 minutes
4. Remove the chicken and let cool while keeping the broth on low. Once chicken is cool enough to touch, begin shredding the meat off, throwing the bones back into the stock once cleaned. 
5. Cook stock with bones for another 20 minutes and then strain out all solids.
6. Bottle the remaining liquid to freeze or use within a week!

It is up to you what you want to do with the chicken meat. Last night I happened to use 2 cups of the fresh broth and all of the chicken to make a pot pie but the options are really endless. 

Chicken salad, quesadillas, chicken soup, chicken casserole....

What would you make?