I get whole chickens on sale and bake them in the oven, usually three. Then, I separate the meat into freezer bags. The bones and browned skin go into a stock pot with water, onion, carrot and celery. I freeze this in plastic bowls. I have SOOO much chicken and broth, I can make soup, chicken alfredo, chicken spaghetti, stir fry, chicken pot pie, chicken and rice, the recipes are endless!
I also keep a gallon freezer bag in my freezer that I fill with random bits of veggies-- onion and carrot tops, celery leaves, etc.-- that I throw in when making broth from bones instead of chopping new veggies. Amazing how much food we usually throw away. These veggies bits make just as nice a broth as fresh veggies and you can compost them after you've fished them out of the finished broth. (I do add fresh veggies to the final dish, whatever I end up using the broth for.)
To save time and money, buy an extra turkey around the holidays when they're cheap and do this. I freeze individual portions of meat covered in broth in plastic containers. This keeps them fresh indefinitely with no freezer burn. This way, I'm ready to make casseroles, enchiladas, pot pies, tetrazinni, alfredo, soup, turkey and dumplings, etc, for months. Since we don't have to eat the whole turkey at once, we never tire of it. It is so convenient when making quick meals.
I did that today. But I only had one chicken. We ate a meal of the chicken for lunch and I had enough leftover for the freezer to make a pint bag of chicken for a recipe. I also saved the broth to use for whatever. This time I didn't save the skin and brones for soup, but I often make soup out of them right away. Good savings from chicken that you bake.
GREAT idea, Debbie! Might give that a shot myself. Sounds like a great way to have something healthy on hand for those nights you don't want to cook also! Thanks for the insight! Mitzi
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