Making Stock

Soon it will be time for soups and stews. If you make your own stock it will be better and you will know what is in it. If you have been keeping all your end pieces of celery and other veggies and the all the chicken parts you do not use in the freezer, then you are prepared to make stock.  If not just pick up a chicken and some veggies.  Here is a very simple stock method.

Chicken Stock

(Use the outside of onions - the part you usually throw out and you will have a deeper color to your stock)

Chicken Parts or one whole chicken cut in quarters
3 onions - peel and all
the end piece of a stock of celery
12 garlic cloves - slice in half
2 carrots - unpeeled and rough chopped
2 bay leaves
Bouquet Garni -- Rosemary, thyme, sage and tarragon - tied together or in an cheesecloth bag
12 cups of water or enough to cover

Put all the ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to low so it barely simmers.  cook for 8 - 10 hours.   After about 1 hour check to see if you need to skim any foam that may have formed.  Note if you want to use the chicken meat, remove after about one hour. De-bone and return the bones to the pot. 

After the stock is cooked, strain out all the bones, veggies and spices. Pour the stock though a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate overnight.  Next day skim off any fat.  You can divide the stock into smaller containers.   Frozen the stock will be good for about 3 months.  Refrigerated the stock is good for about two weeks

Non Stick Cookware

I have used one form or another of non stick cookware for years.  I am sure you have too. However do you know what not to use with non stick cookware?  Spray oil in a can.  After speaking with a rep from Calphalon, I discovered that over time the nonstick spray oil will build up a residue on the non stick pans.  This residue is hard to remove and in some case may also damage the pan.

Instead use a little oil or butter.  Not a lot!  Just a little and your non stick pans will last a lot longer.

Sunday Cooking Class

WOW had a great turn out today!  Lots of fun and good food!!!   Here are some of the tips I passed on during the class.

1. Put seasonings in your pizza dough.  I use the Williams Sonoma Pizza Spice which was very good. Not much about a tablespoon for enough dough to make two pizzas

2. When making your dough remember it is the foundation for your pizza.

3. Add extra yeast.  The recipe I used call for one packet.  I added two.  Why?  Because then I had a more active dough and could do more with it. It does add more niacin and if you want to make the dough a day ahead, just cover it and put it in the fridge.

4. Cooking a Pizza stone makes a great crust.

Drop by next Sunday when we go over Olive Oil.

Thanks to all that attended!!