Make your own stock

It is actually not very hard to make your own stock. You can store it in the freezer and have it handy whenever you need it. Here are my grandmothers recipes:

Chicken/beef Stock:

Ingredients

- 3 lbs of chicken or beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium size onion peeled and quartered
- 1 celery rib, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 1 carrot peeled, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 1 leek, trimmed and halved lengths wise
- 1 parsnip, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 1 bay leave
- 8 peppercorns
- 3 parsley springs
- 3 thyme springs
- 6 cups of water

place everything in a pot bring to boil and then simmer for 4 hours on the stove...or cook in the slow cooker and simmer for 5 hours.

I usually freeze the stock in 1 cup containers, to have the right amount I need for most servings...


Roasted Vegetable Stock

- 1 large red, yellow or green bell pepper
- 2 medium size onion peeled and quartered
- 2 celery rib, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 2 carrot peeled, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 1 leek, trimmed and halved lengths wise
- 1 parsnip, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 table spoons olive oil
- 1 bay leave
- 8 peppercorns
- 3 parsley springs
- 3 thyme springs
- 6 cups of water

Preheat over to 450 arrange vegetables on backing sheet drizzle olive oil on top and bake roast for 25 min (or put vegetables on the grill and roast)

Transfer vegetables into pot add water and spices. Bring to boil and simmer for 6 hours.

Chicken Cacciatore in the slow cooker

I love my slow cooker. It is perfect for those days when you know dinner time will be hectic you won't have enough time to cook. That when I get my slow cooker out and though everything in there in the morning to be ready in time for dinner.
One of my family;s favorite recipes is this chicken dish.

Ingredients:

- 6 Ounces yellow onions peeled and diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper (I serve the other half with some dip as an appetizer)
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 can dices tomatoes (or 4 big fresh dices tomatoes, boil in hot water for a minute to loosen the peel, that way it is easier to take it off)
- 2 table spoons tomato paste
- 2 tabe spoons white wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried or fresh oregano ( buy a bunch of fresh herbs like oregano, basil, parsley... wash it chop it and pit it into a zip lock bag in the freezer...this way it stays fresh longer and it is always ready to use)
- 3/4 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs, or 2 pounds chicken breast
- 1/2 cup wholewheat flower
- 2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces portobello mushrooms cut into half inch thick slices
- 1 bay leave

Place the onions. pepper, garlic, drained tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, oregano, basil, salt and dices peppers in a bowl and toss to combine. toss chicken in flower to lightly coat. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown chicken (3 min on each side). Transfer chicken to a plate (or directly to the slow cooker). Add remaining olive oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms until golden brown. Add browned mushrooms to vegetable mix.

place everything in the slow cooker...1 layer of chicken, 1 layer of vegetable mix, another layer of chicken and another layer of the vegetable mix on top of it. Add the bay leave and cook on low for 6 hours. take the bay leave out before you serve it.

I serve it on rice or pasta depending on the preference of the day...