Great Lakes Foodie » Chicken Stock http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com Food, Cooking, Dining, Inspiration Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:35:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Chicken and Dumplings http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/2010/01/30/chicken-and-dumplings/ http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/2010/01/30/chicken-and-dumplings/#comments Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:18:03 +0000 Great Lakes Foodie http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/?p=722 As of late, I’ve been writing about being bored cooking.  Last week, I decided to work on my preparation and knife skills.  As no one should consider themselves at the top of their game, there is always something that we can examine and improve upon in our lives.  I like to think I’m a wiz

Continue reading Chicken and Dumplings

]]> As of late, I’ve been writing about being bored cooking.  Last week, I decided to work on my preparation and knife skills.  As no one should consider themselves at the top of their game, there is always something that we can examine and improve upon in our lives.  I like to think I’m a wiz with a knife.  In reality, I’m average.  Beef and Barley soup worked on those skills a bit.  I learned very quickly that cutting meat is something that I have quite a road for improvement.  Though the final product was delicious, looking at the pile of chopped meat there were varying shapes and sizes.  I’d definitely get a C- from Anne Burrell!!!

Along side my Beef and Barley soup last Sunday, I started working on a chicken stock to make Chicken and Dumplings.  This recipe came from the newer “The Enlightened Cook” section of Cooking Light magazine.  I made the stock using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs from a frozen state.   Admittedly, I was a bit nervous starting at a frozen state.  The final product turned out just fine.  Getting back to knife skills, I found that my produce cutting skills are much more advanced.  I still have a lot of work to do on my consistency.  However, the general output has been quite successful and comes with more speed than meat cutting.  I think I’m going to read further which knives should be used for which preparation…after I sharpen my knives.  I’ve been naughty and dropping them in the top shelf of the dishwasher.  I know, shame on me!!!  No more, I promise!

One commentary on the Chicken and Dumplings.  I was fairly unimpressed with the dumplings.  Using a very solid cast iron stock pot, the amount of heat generated using even simmer was too high for the delicate dumplings this recipe called for.  I found that these dumplings quickly melted into the stock.  To combat this issue and save the dish, I skipped the thickening process called for in the recipe as the disintegrated dumplings were enough to thicken the stock.  I made some egg-based dumplings which held up quite well.  We had the last of the leftovers for dinner last night.  Just as good reheated!!!

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]]> http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/2010/01/30/chicken-and-dumplings/feed/ 0 Feeling under the weather? Homemade chicken stock is the answer http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/2009/11/07/feeling-under-the-weather-homemade-chicken-stock-is-the-answer/ http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/2009/11/07/feeling-under-the-weather-homemade-chicken-stock-is-the-answer/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:12:10 +0000 Great Lakes Foodie http://www.greatlakesfoodie.com/?p=351 So your mother or grandmother told you that you need chicken soup to make you feel better.  Or you read about it in one of those health magazines.  Or some "research" study (yes, I put research in quotes for a reason!) found that properties in chicken soup healed the sick…

Whatever your motive for making yourself

Continue reading Feeling under the weather? Homemade chicken stock is the answer

]]> So your mother or grandmother told you that you need chicken soup to make you feel better.  Or you read about it in one of those health magazines.  Or some "research" study (yes, I put research in quotes for a reason!) found that properties in chicken soup healed the sick…

Whatever your motive for making yourself better with chicken soup is, I like to start out with a nice homemade chicken stock.  I came down with quite an ear infection this weekend.  It's 68º here in Wisconsin this weekend and I'm stuck inside.  No fair!  However, I brought the weapon out.  I may be skeptical about its healing powers.  However, it makes me feel better having something warm and tasty.

A few weeks ago I slowly simmered my own chicken stock.  I bought a large package of chicken wings.  I slowly warmed them up in a pot of water.  Once the muck was skimmed off the top, I added carrots (not peeled), onions, celery (this is one of those times to use the celery leaves!), garlic, and just a pinch of salt (salting at this point could leave you with a result most resembling a salt lick for deer!)  Slowly simmer for several hours.  Be careful not to allow the broth to boil.  The result was a beautiful, clear liquid I could write home to mom about.  Finishing the stock off, I strained the liquid out, set it back on the stove, and boiled it down slightly to concentrate.  Once it was where I wanted it, I added a bit of salt.  

Today, I pulled one of the containers out of the freezer and proceeded to make a nice, simple chicken soup for lunch.  Some rice, carrots and celery went in.  Warmed to perfection, I sipped away…then ate the remaining ingredients.  My standard way to eat chicken soup when I'm under the weather. 

I hope that I'm feeling better tomorrow.  After a week off from new adventures, I'm ready to plan a week of food fun.  Wish me luck!

(And no…the handsome guy to the right isn't me. I figured you'd need a nice little image of me at home with my chicken soup!)

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