Stock Up On Cheap Stock

No more store bought cans of chicken stock.

I use stock in all sorts of recipes but have found the price going up steadily over the past few years. So I switched to making vegetable stock at home. At first I just used a carrot, a couple stalks of celery and an onion, then I realized how much I was throwing into the compost pile that was usable from my daily cooking. I started saving my carrot peelings, outer layers of onions, tops and bottoms of celery and other various vegetable “cut-offs” in a re-sealable container. Once I accumulate enough to make a batch of stock (several handfuls worth), I roast the vegetables in the oven for about 30 minutes, add some bulk dried herbs and a few quarts of water and bring to a boil. After the stock boils and looks about the color of weak tea, I add some salt to taste. “Rinsings” from canned tomatoes add some wonderful flavor to stock as well. I use the stock in homemade soups or any other recipes that call for cooking liquid. Freeze the finished stock in re-sealable containers, allowing a little head room for expansion.