Today I’m going a little domestic crazy. In addition to my usual Monday cleaning rituals, I decided today’s the day to make chicken stock and homemade bread. It’s been quite an adventure. I found that both tasks, though time-consuming, are quite easy.
For stock: Put leftover veggies, an onion (quartered), some chopped celery, and a chopped carrot in a big pot. Add leftover chicken bones and pieces (I saved bones, bits, and wings from two chickens). Cover and bring to a good simmer. Uncover and let simmer very lightly for several hours. Strain. Refridgerate. I’ll remove the fat after the whole mess cools down.
For bread: Matt bragged about making bread one day so I demanded to know his secret. He sent me to this handy website. Now my bread is on its second rise. I’m hoping for the best. The hardest part was kneading, and I actually got kind of lost in that process. It ended up being quite enjoyable.
I’m finding more and more that cooking from scratch isn’t too difficult, it just takes more practice than microwaving something or driving to a fast-food place. I can make really good food for very cheap, and that’s awesome. Tonight I’m making a definite comfort food: scallop corn chowder. It has amazing flavor and will last the whole week, which is good because this will be a busy and possibly trying week at work. I also want to make butternut squash soup tonight or tomorrow so I have plenty of easy to prepare soup goodness that I can pair with homemade bread. I want to be able to throw together my meals quickly in the evenings. I may end up making pizza or pancakes Wednesday or Thursday, but for the rest it will be leftovers, leftovers, leftovers!
I’m hoping to learn plenty of good domestic skills, especially those related to cooking. The more I can make my own, the more money I’ll save. I also need to work on making some Christmas gifts… I have ideas…
It’s fun to be a Renaissance woman!