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Make Cooking Simple
As temperatures begin to rise in May, so
does the pace of school and family activities. Time for meals seems to get
squeezed out to make room for school award presentation nights, play practice,
4-H meetings and ball games. By stocking up your freezer with basics like the
ones featured in recent issues of Celebrate! A Healthy You, meals can be ready
in 15 minutes.
This month brings another basic, cooked chicken. This recipe comes with a
bonus—broth—to add to the freezer stockpile. Slow cookers are great for cooking
foods like Basic Cooked Chicken and Broth that taste best when simmered slowly
over a long period. A day of long, slow cooking allows time for rich flavors to
develop fully for great tasting broth. Use the chicken in one of the quick ideas
on this month’s bonus handout for a speedy supper before heading off to your
evening activities.
Basic Cooked Chicken and Broth
2 ˝
pounds bone-in chicken pieces such as legs, thighs, breasts, wings
2 carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
2 stalks or stems celery, cut in 2-inch chunks
1
onion, cut in four pieces
1 tablespoon dried basil
6 cups water
Place chicken pieces, carrots, celery, onion, basil and water in slow cooker.
Cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours or until meat is very tender.
Scoop chicken out of broth and remove from skin and bones. Chop or shred to use
in soup or another recipe. Use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Strain broth and discard vegetables. Ladle broth into shallow containers, cover
loosely and refrigerate. When cold, remove layer of fat from top of broth and
discard. If not using broth immediately, freeze in amounts needed for other
recipes like one cup. Be sure to allow ˝ to 1 inch of headspace for broth to
expand as it freezes. Use within one month.
Makes about one quart of low sodium chicken stock and 2 ˝ cups of cooked meat.
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