I cook for two and the most bang for my buck has been roast chicken. On Sunday, when I have some extra time, I make this for dinner with the usual sides (mashed potatoes, salad, veggies). We eat what we want off of the roast chicken. After dinner, I strip the extra meat off. The extra chicken I use for casserole, chicken salad, chicken nachos, or anything else that uses pre-cooked chicken. Then, I throw the bones/scraps into my crock pot with some onions, carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaf or anything else I can find, cover with water and cook.
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I do the same thing with turkey, or any other meat that comes on the bone. I cook, then cut the meat off the bone, careful to leave just a little. I serve whatever people want, but am careful to put the rest away immediately after dinner. When I want to use the leftovers, I put all the bones and skins into the crock pot. I also add the tip-ends of carrots, onion skins, mushroom stems, bell pepper tops, parsley and cilantro stems -- sometimes even apple and pear cores, which add a fresh, juicy taste to the whole.
Then I put in a cloth teabag filled with peppercorns, fresh and dried herbs and spices, whatever I've got. I'll let that sit overnight, and in the morning I simply strain it. Half gets cooled, then put into freezer bags or containers for later. The other half, I use for that day's lunch and/or that night's dinner.
I find that a little of this "sweep-the-kitchen" stock plus a can of tomato paste will make couscous, rice, millet, barley, or pasta a pretty exciting thing to eat, to say nothing of what it'll do for plain dried beans.
Adrianne, I'd like some pointers in roasting chicken. Mine is never as tender as the store bought.
Adrianne: I love making roast chicken, and always need ideas for the leftovers. Thanks for the idea with the bones and leftovers in a crockpot...what a great idea! Thanks!
There are two in my family and we do this also. I debone it while it is still warm so I can remove any fat from my packages. One breast is a meal for the two of us. The dark meat gets divided into 3-4 packages and then frozen for future meals that need chopped chicken.
I do this with roast Beef, only 1 of me. Only way I can have roast beef. Doesn't pay to cook for 1 unless you can freeze and stretch it out; too much waste in the world as it is.
There's a store out my way called Sav-A-Lot, it's like Aldi and they sell in 10 lb packages chicken leg and thighs at an unbeatable price of 49 to 69 cents a pound. I break it up into 2 packs use one and one for later,goes in freezer.
Seems like great minds think alike! There are only two of us as well and I do this too! Saves time and money.
Even though, I have a big family, I also use this method as a means of savings. Whether it is a whole chicken, pork tenderloin, ham or roast beef, I make several meals out of them. With whole chicken, we would have it with potatoes and carrots one day and the next have the leftover pieces of chicken in a stuffing, mixed veggies and chicken casserole.
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