Homemade Chicken Stock and Chicken soup

You may be asking yourself, what does chicken soup have to do with the 7 goals for 2014.  Well in many ways it's one way to achieve a number of my goals for this year.

For one, by making chicken stock, I'm creating something that is healthy for my family.  Commercial chicken stocks are usually packed full of msg (Maybe not packed, but when you have an allergy to, and a disgust for, it might as well be packed full) and usually include non-natural ingredients and preservatives.  My homemade chicken stock is made with real ingredients that you can pronounce and find in your pantry or produce drawer.

Not to mention, making my own chicken stock is less costly than buying chicken stock at the store.  I paid less than $2 for the chicken backs, used two stalks of celery, one carrot and an onion.  Pretty sure my 3+ litres of chicken stock was more affordable than the 1 L cartons would have been at the grocery store.  (I wouldn't know though, because I don't buy them).

Oh and life is simpler with real ingredients.  :)

So, I think I did well!  ha ha

Last night I made 13.5 cups of homemade chicken stock.  I made this by simply boiling chicken backs with rough chopped (large pieces) of celery, onion, carrots and garlic, some coarse salt and parsley. 

The results were quite yummy.  I packed 6 cups into the freezer (with my hubby's help).  So, now we have chicken stock for a variety of future uses.  The other 7.5 cups was used to make tonight's supper:  Chicken Root Soup!  (named appropriately by my hubby).

I didn't need to add as much salt as I did when making the soup, it turned out quite salty, and unfortunately I'm notorious for not measuring when I cook.  oops! 

Now soup is a very affordable meal to make.  And on a day as cold as today, it is very yummy and good for the tummy. 


These are some of the ingredients:

 

 

And the rest (minus the spices):

- 1 onion, chopped small



 - 2 stalks of celery, chopped small
- 1-2 carrots, chopped small
- sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- regular potato, cubed (I peeled)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine,
-7.5 cups chicken stock
- 1-2 tbsp. butter
- 1-2 tsp coarse salt
- handful of dried parsley
- 1 large bay leaf
- pepper

 Melt butter in bottom of soup pan.

 Add carrots, celery and onion and coarse salt.  Allow to cook and let out juices from veggies.

 See those yummy juices?

 Add garlic and sprinkle pepper on top then cover with enough stock to fully cover veggies.

 Add remaining stock, spices and potatoes.  Bring to boil then reduce temperature to low/simmer. 

 Cook until potatoes are tender.

Remember to remove bay leaf before serving.  Eat and enjoy!