Home Made Chicken Broth

For richer color, use an unpeeled yellow onion.

Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds bony chicken pieces (backs, necks, and wings from 2 chickens)
Three stalks celery with leaves, cut up
Two carrots, cut up
One large onion, cut up
Two sprigs parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, sage, or basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Two bay leaves
6 cups cold water

Directions:
Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper.

In a large Dutch oven or kettle place chicken pieces; celery; carrots; onion; parsley; salt; thyme, sage, or basil; pepper; and bay leaves. Add water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for two hours. Remove chicken.

To strain, pour broth through a large sieve or colander lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Discard vegetables and seasonings. If desired, clarify broth.* If using the broth while hot, skim fat. (Or chill broth, then lift off fat.) If desired, when bones are cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and reserve meat for another use. Discard bones. Store broth and reserved meat, if any, in separate covered containers in the refrigerator up to three days or in the freezer up to six months.

Recipe makes about five cups broth and 2-1/2-cups meat broth.

*Crockery-Cooker Directions:
In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart electric crockery cooker combine chicken pieces; celery; carrots; onion; parsley; salt; thyme, sage, or basil; pepper; bay leaves; and only four cups water. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for eight to tenhours. Remove chicken. Strain and store broth and meat as above. *Note: For crystal-clear soups, use broth that's been clarified. First, separate an egg, saving the yolk for another use. In a Dutch oven or kettle combine your strained broth, 1/4-cup cold water, and the egg white. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes. Strain the broth through a large sieve or colander lined with several layers of damp, 100-percent cotton cheesecloth.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories 20
Total Fat 0g
Protein 0g
Total Carbohydrate 0g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sodium 300mg