Well, we got our first snow fall! It's time for comfort food! Why not make a hearty soup? You should start with homemade stock. Here is a can't miss chicken stock recipe.
The bones of one whole chicken (either raw or cooked)
1 medium onion large dice (use the peel)
1 stalk of celery rough chopped (use the whole stalk)
2 unpeeled carrots large dice
1 Tbsp of peppercorns
2 tsp of thyme
2 bay leaf
4 quarts of COLD water (cold water is the key helps extract the flavor from bones slowly)
Place all ingredients into a large stock pot cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once the liquid reaches a hard boil turn down the heat to a low simmer and cook for about 4-6 hours.** As the stock cooks the liquid will evaporate, so just add more water but just enough to keep the bones covered. After the stock is finished cooking strain with a sieve to remove all the vegetables and spices. Place stock in a container once its cooled down and put in freezer until ready to use. This would be great as a soup starter or any recipe you might have that requires chicken stock.
** If using the bones of a cooked chicken, you will need to add some chicken base to give it some flavor. The cook time will be 1-2 hours if using left over cooked chicken bones. Also if using left over bones leave some of the meat on the bones for added flavor.
