We are in the throws of winter.  It is blistering cold, the storms are sweeping our country and even if you are not blanketed in snow you still may not be spared from the cold and flu bugs that are flying around.  During this time nothing makes me feel more at home and like I can weather any storm, be in sleet, snow or bugs, than homemade stock.  The wind whips at the windows as the rain pours and the fog rolls in, but on the stove simmers a broth.

Winter or not, stock is a staple every kitchen needs.  You can certainly pop into your grocery and purchase some but once you make it yourself and taste the difference, you’ll never go back to store bought again.  What I love to do is make a large batch and freeze it in small containers of 1-3 cups so that when a recipe calls for broth, there I have it, measured out and ready to throw into a pot to thaw.  Making stock is as easy as one-two-three; fill a pot with water, throw in some bones and vegetables, simmer for two hours, salt and pepper to taste and done.  You can use the tips and unusable bits of carrots, celery and onion as well.  Most of the time I have a bag in the freezer full of these odds and ends that I throw in, so when I have some beef or chicken bones I throw in the bag of ends and “poof”, stock for all!  You can make stock out of any bones, pork, beef, chicken, or make it vegetarian with just vegetables.  The whole goal is to simmer out the nutrients and flavor in your stock ingredients to make a broth rich, full of flavor and dense in nutrition.

Try your finished stock in your favorite soup recipe or my favorite recipe for Homemade Ramen 

You will need:

• 2 carrots
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2 onions
• 4-6 quarts of water or enough o fill the pot
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A bundle of herbs, like rosemary, sage and thyme – you can use dried as well.
• Bones

*I will sometimes throw in a whole chicken carcass after I have roasted it and served for several meals. This week I had two big bone in breasts that I had cooked for previous meals that I threw into my stock.

**Also you don’t need to use fresh veggies you can use odds and ends as well.

How to:

• Throw all the ingredients into a pot
• Bring to boil
• Lower the temperature to a simmer
• Simmer for two hours
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Simmer it up!

Marcella rose