Chicken Broth

Chicken broth or chicken stock is used in so many recipes. But the stuff you buy in the store has so much sodium, so much fat, so many chemical ingredients meant to preserve it. The thing is, you can easily and very inexpensively make your own. I save the ingredients in the fridge or freezer until I have enough of everything to make it - there is a lot of recycling going on here - for the veggies I use the ugly parts we tend to trim away when making other dishes and add "pretty" ones only if needed, or if I've over zealously cut too many carrot sticks and celery sticks for snacks no one ate, and they've become not so crunchy, those go swimmin' too. The veggies don't have to be finely chopped or even consistent in size. The point is to simmer them to oblivion anyway.

Ingredients:
Chicken bones and carcass from roasted chicken
Water
Celery
Carrots
Onion
Garlic
Spices (oregano, thyme, bay leaves, whatever you have) to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Supplies:
Pot
Strainer

Put your chicken parts in the pot and add enough water to barely cover. Add everything else and simmer for 4-5 hours uncovered (or covered for part of the time depending how rich you want the flavor concentrated). Taste it a couple hours in and see if it needs more seasoning or to be reduced more. After 4-5 hours pour it into a container through a fine strainer. Cool in the fridge then skim off some of the fat that separates. Store in the fridge up to 48 hours - beyond that you should freeze it - if you do you might want to store it in small quantities like 1 or 1/2 cup or even ice cube trays.

That's it! Less sodium, no chemical preservatives that only fancy science people can understand! Cheap - I mean it's stuff you would probably toss anyway plus whatever spices you already have! Winner.