Soup’s On

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and sincerely hope that you were able to overcome any challenges in making your feast gluten-free.

By the time you read this, chances are the turkey leftovers will long since have been eaten.

But that’s OK.

I’d still like to share with you my very simple recipe for home-made chicken stock. If you can even call this a recipe.

Yes, it’s that simple!

Of course, this works just as well for turkey or any kind of bird.

I think chicken stock is incredibly easy to make yourself, although at times less convenient than store bought. The best part is that it is absolutely Gluten-Free.

And you won’t have to worry about reading labels!

Seriously, though, all you really need to pull this off is a chicken carcass or two.

Whenever we have a roast chicken for dinner, I remove the extra meat before storing the leftovers in the fridge. I also save the bones in a separate container.

Next morning, I toss the bones, some water and a few seasonings into my crockpot, and let the slow cooker do its thing for the rest of the day.

That’s the beauty of a slow cooker – it really frees up your time for work, or play, and you don’t have to do another thing for six to eight hours, or until the food is done.

In this crazy, hectic world we live in, what could be better than freeing up some of your time?

 

HOME-MADE CHICKEN STOCK

Bones & carcass from 1 Chicken

6 cups water

1 carrot, cut into chunks (or a small handful of baby carrots)

1 or 2 celery sprigs, optional

1 bay leaf

5-6 whole peppercorns

 

You can dig around in your vegetable drawer and choose some other add-ins, such as:

Onion, cut into chunks

Root vegetables, cut into chunks

 

Toss everything into the ceramic pot of your slow cooker, and set the timer for a minimum of 6 hours. Depending on the brand of slow cooker, you might need a little more time to really bring out the flavors.

Alternatively, you can replicate the exact same recipe in a pot, on the stove. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 1 ½ – 2 hours.

When done cooking, set a large sieve inside an equally large bowl and pour the soup stock into the sieve. The point is to catch all the loose vegetables, peppercorns, etc. so you have a clear broth.

NOTE:  At this point, I highly recommend that you prepare the stock one day, and finish your soup the next. The reason is simple. When you refrigerate the homemade stock, any fats will congeal on the surface. Next day, simply skim off the fat, pour the stock in a pot and proceed with the recipe.

 

To complete the Chicken Soup:

Pour the stock into a pot and add:

1-2 carrots, chopped

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer & cook until almost tender. Then add:

1 – 1½  cups cooked chicken

1 cup cooked brown rice

 

Continue cooking on low for five minutes, then add your choice of:

1 15-oz. can chopped tomatoes

Chopped spinach or other greens

¾ cup frozen peas

Hint:   Think Color  –  the more colorful, the better!

 

You can vary your choice of ingredients and easily adjusted the amounts to suit your palette, and your family preferences. Season to taste with salt & pepper, and perhaps a little tarragon, and serve.