Homemade Chicken Stock, Crockpot Style

Making your own chicken stock may, at first glance, seem like a tedious, time consuming and even extreme task.
Especially when you can easily walk into any supermarket and have multiple choices at your fingertips. 

I mean seriously, we don't have enough to do without adding "make chicken stock" to the to-do list?!

I get it. 
And if this recipe wasn't so incredibly easy, fast and delicious, I would be right with you.

But it is easy, fast and delicious, so I'm going to have to insist that you give it a go. 
Please!

Okay. Now that we have that settled, let's make some stock. This stock is perfect in chicken noodle soup, or anything else that requires chicken stock. If you're not going to use the stock right away, it freezes very well. Simply portion the stock into freezer bags and freeze for up to 6 months(truthfully, it will probably stay good in the freezer much longer than that).

Chicken Stock

Ingredients
All of the leftover bones, drippings, skin, etc. from the crockpot chicken
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion roughly chopped

Before straining.

Method

1. Leave all of the leftover chicken parts in your crockpot after you've removed all of the meat.
2. Add celery, carrots, and onion.
3. Fill the crockpot with water and cover.
4. Cook for 8-10 hours on low. I usually let this cook overnight.
5. Carefully strain the stock through a mesh strainer. 
6. Use right away, refrigerate or freeze.
   

Soup's On!

I love me some soup.
And why not?
Healthy, check.
Easy, check.
Crowd pleaser, check.
Inexpensive, check.
Freezes well, check.
Kid pleaser, check.
And the options are endless...vegetable, noodle, tomato, creamy, lasagna, meaty, brothy, spicy, pizza, cold, hot...

I could really go on about the virtues of soup for quite a while.
But I won't.(Maybe I already did?)
Because we need to get on with the making, so we can get on with the eating.

This is my own chicken noodle soup recipe. 
I add two secret ingredients to make this soup extra special.  

I'm going to use the chicken stock I made in my crock pot using the leftovers from my whole chicken recipe. 
If you don't have homemade chicken stock, and aren't inclined to make any(I've had those days too!) use the store bought variety that comes in the carton. 
The same goes for the chicken. I'm using leftover chicken from the whole chicken in the crockpot recipe. If you don't have any leftover chicken, a store bought rotisserie chicken will work very well.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
8 cups of chicken stock
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced**secret ingredient**
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 package egg noodles, make it more or less noodley depending on your taste
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
Juice of 1 lemon**secret ingredient**
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add chopped celery, carrot and onion. Cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions.
6. 10 minutes before serving, add chicken, cooked noodles and the lemon juice. Heat through and enjoy!

Chicken, Of Course!

When faced with the age old question, "what's for dinner," chicken, of course can become a pretty reliable answer. 

I don't know about you, but I get really bored with the old standby; boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
I know that they're healthy, but truthfully rather bland. 
And the other parts of a chicken are great too, and equally as healthy and much tastier!

A little comparison to put your mind at ease...

Chicken Breast  
156 calories, 7 grams of fat, 23 grams of protein 

Chicken Leg
183 calories, 10 grams of fat, 23 grams of protein

As you can see, all chicken is a relatively healthy choice. 

Cooking a whole chicken can seem a little intimidating, although it really shouldn't. It's actually a cost effective and delicious notion.

Do not be afraid.
Using the crock pot method is a no fail solution for cooking a tender, juicy, flavorful bird. 
It won't be dry or overcooked and it couldn't be easier.

Try to remember to take out the giblets that will be found in the cavity of your chicken. 
If I'm being honest, I forgot to do that once and it still turned out just fine.

One tip, try to find a locally raised, pastured bird. It really does make a huge difference in flavor as well as nutritional value. I will warn you that this type of chicken will cost more than the factory farm poultry found at the supermarket, but we are going to use every bit of this little chicky, so it will be money well spent. 

We have chickens on the farm, but I don't have the heart to use them for anything other than egg layers and pets. If you're local, you can find free range chicken at All Good Things Natural Market,  Tierra Verde Farms  .

Okay, let's get started. The following recipe will be to cook a whole chicken and it will be similar to a rotissire chicken when it's finished. We will then use all of the leftover bones, drippings, spices, etc. to make a flavorful stock right in the crock pot, perfectly suited for Chicken Noodle Soup. I certainly did not invent this method, but I have used it countless times and it's always great. 

Whole Chicken

Ingredients
Chicken, somewhere around 5 pounds
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Before

1 onion, loosely chopped

Method 

1. Combine spices in a small bowl.
2. Place the chopped onion in the bottom of the crock pot.
3. After removing giblets, rub spice mixture all over the chicken.
4. Place chicken on top of onions and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours. There is no need to add additional liquid to the crockpot.
5. Save all leftover bones, skin, liquid and onion in crockpot to make chicken stock!

   

   After

Valentines Day, And Other Fluff

The dead of winter.
Depressing turn of phrase, but oh so true.
Nothing much is growing in northeast Ohio.
No major holidays or celebrations.
Activities are at a minimum.

Around now I try to look for anything to boost morale, including making a big deal out of a little holiday called Valentines Day. 
It's a holiday devoted to love!
Who doesn't love that?
Ok. A lot of people.

It's cheesy and commercialized. 
It's silly and frivolous.
We should express our love everyday, not just in mid February.
I get it. 

But, it's February and we need a reason to celebrate, so I'm going for it. 
I hope you drape everything in pink, cut out a million paper hearts and make these special treats.

Cheese is good, in moderation.

Homemade Marshmallows
I often make these at other times of the year without cutting them into heart shapes, so if you're short on time, skip that part and just use a knife and cut them into squares.

Ingredients
2 1/2 Tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Confectioners sugar-for dusting
Chocolate wafers-for melting

Method

1. Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Let this stand while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
2. In medium size heavy saucepan, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup of water. Cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved.
3. Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to dissolve sugar crystals.
4. Clip on a candy thermometer and cook on high without stirring until the syrup reaches 244 degrees.
   
5. Immediately remove pan from heat.
6. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture. 
7. Add vanilla.
8. Increase speed to high. Beat until the mixture is very thick, white and has tripled in volume. Approximately 15 minutes.
9. Generously dust a 9x13 pan with confectioners sugar.
10. Pour marshmallow mixture into prepared pan and smooth into an even surface. Dust the top with confectioners sugar and let dry overnight.
    
11. Using a heart cookie cutter, cut hearts out of marshmallow.
12. Melt chocolate wafers in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time until melted.
13. Using a toothpick, pierce the side of the marshmallow heart and dip in chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off and place finished heart on waxed paper to dry.
    

Home Sweet Home

I'm the kind of gal that a certain group of people hate to see coming.

The guy at the car repair shop, the tech support people, every employee at Home Depot and Lowes, and maybe most of all, contractors.
I'm not rude, or cheap and I don't even nag about time lines too much. 

What I am is CLUELESS.
You can tell by the caps that this is a serious issue.

I have a specific end result in mind with no sense about how to get there(it should be easy), how long it will take(it shouldn't take long), or how much it will cost(this part gives the hubs a minor coronary, daily.)
So, when I had the brainstorm to renovate the 1860s farmhouse my Grandpa Zimmerman was born in, I went forth with reckless abandon, as usual.

I met with several contractors and each had his own strengths and creative ideas. 
One was $40k over budget, not good for the coronary patient.
One was $40k under budget, but didn't include everything we wanted.
And one was right on the nose, included everything we wanted and seemed to know exactly what to do. 

Bill and Kenny of Martin's Home Improvements were now my partners in crime and home renovations.
These 2 are saints among men. They dealt with me daily. Can you imagine?  
They explained all of the technicalities, told me what I needed to do and helped me make decisions. 
I changed my mind, made additions, took things away, asked for advice, and sometimes just told them to decide. 
Yes, we paid them, but I know their true heart was in the business of giving my family and I the home we wanted.
And they did.
I couldn't be more grateful.

And, after all this training I feel equipped to build something.
But not a house because I'm never doing this again.
Ever.


This recipe(originally from Betty Crocker) is quick, easy and Delicious! It uses a shortcut method, which I don't always like, but this one is good. I've made my own adjustments and additions and am always asked for the recipe, so here it is!

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Ingredients:
1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Blend cookie mix, butter, egg, flour, almonds, cranberries and 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips and milk until a stiff dough forms.
3. Divide dough in half and press into a rectangle on one side of a cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough on the other side of the pan. 
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
5. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 3/4 inch slices. Place slices cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 more minutes. 
6. Cool completely on cooling rack.
7. Microwave the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for 30-60 seconds until smooth.
   
   Drizzle chocolate over cooled biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is set. 

Feel free to get creative with the add-ins! 
How about white chocolate chips, dried cherries and pecans?
Or, butterscotch chips and chopped cashews?
Endless possibilities!

It's January, Smile!

Today my 2 year old said to me, "Mommy, it's a good day. The sun is shining right in my eyes, and I'm happy." 

These words of wisdom snapped me out of my Blah, it's Wednesday and it's bitter cold, and the sun is reflecting off of this stinking snow and making me squint, which is probably giving me wrinkles kind of mood.  

January is tough.
At least for me. 
Maybe it's the calm after the storm of the holidays. Or the cold weather. Or the lack of sun. Or the fact that it's still quite a while until spring. It's probably a combination of all of that.

The good news is, this too shall pass. 

In the meantime, my January survival techniques include:

• Daily physical activity, because we know we feel better when we move
• Vitamin D supplements, because it might be May before we see the sun again
• Numerous daily Facebook chats with the funniest, most brilliant women I know, for sanity
• Cooking and eating lots of vegetables, because they're tasty and good for you!

So here's an easy winter vegetable recipe . I even added bacon, for health purposes. 
Don't be afraid. 
Brussel sprouts are delicious and one of the most undervalued veg around. 


Give it a try. 
It's January, whaddya got to lose?

Ingredients
2 pounds brussel sprouts, washed and halved
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

I forgot to take the pic until after we ate almost all of them!

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine sprouts, bacon, olive oil salt and pepper. 
3. Dump sprout mixture onto prepared pan and spread evenly.
4. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
   

Happy New Year!

Well, I survived, did you?

I'm lovingly referring to the holidays, of course.

And I truly do love them, but when January roles around, I'm ready. 

I feel a slight twinge of melancholy as an end comes to the parties, decorations, shopping, wrapping, entertaining, eating, cooking, family gatherings and on and on and on. But then I realize it's a new year and there's lots to look forward to. It almost sounds fun to get organized and tidy everything up. Almost.

Okay. Let's be honest. It's fun to buy all the organizational stuff. The cute baskets and bins and closet organizers. The actual organizing isn't my specialty, and the novelty usually wears off around January 6th. 

But organize, I must. Hopefully during the process I'll come across the bag of overdue library books that are accruing fines, my son's book bag and the cheese grater. 

With the new year comes the end of Christmas vacation and back to school. 
To help cheer my son on as he headed back to school yesterday, I made his favorite meal last night. Dough balls(gnocchi) and meatballs are a staple around here. 

I hope you'll try this simple, hearty meatball recipe with your favorite people!

Meatballs and Sauce

Ingredients
1-1.5 lbs lean ground beef
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
1 T. parsley flakes
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
2 T. olive oil
2-28oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. salt

Method

1. Mix ground beef, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and breadcrumbs with hands until combined. Do not over mix. 
2. Form into balls and refrigerate for an hour or more. 
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet. 
4. Gently place meatballs in hot skillet and brown, flipping once. 
5. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano and salt. 
6. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
7. Serve with your favorite pasta or alone.  

These meatballs freeze well and are great in the crockpot too!