Stock

Stock is the cornerstone for a lot of foods: soups, stews, sauces, pasta dishes, rice dishes, roasts, and on and on...  I use it often in my house, probably more often than others (ex: when I boil rice, I use stock instead of water to add flavor).

Stock is very easy and very hands-off.  Anyone can make it.  Lots of recipes for stock call for a lot of vegetables that are chopped, etc.  My way is easier and much more convenient;-)

Whenever I cook, I save all the vegetable scraps.  I put them in a ziploc bag in the freezer.  When the bag is full, I make stock.  EASY!

Here is a list of the usual things I save:

carrot peel

carrot stems/ ends of the carrot

celery leaves

celery hearts

onion peel and roots

parsley stems

thyme stems

bell pepper stems/ pulp membrane

pieces of garlic

shallot roots and peel

potato peel

egg shells (make sure they are clean)

You can use almost any vegetable.  Don't use potatoe chunks or squash, as it can make the stock cloudy.  Tomatoes can make the stock acidic, but if you are going to use the stock in a recipe that has tomatoes (ie tomato soup) then, go ahead!  Basil and cilantro will give the stock very distinct flavors, which isn't good in every recipe. Don't use fruit or anything citrus.

When you have enough scraps, put everything in a large heavy bottom stock pot and fill with cold water.  I usually add a few things for flavor: a piece of garlic, a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  If the stock is lacking in herbs, I will add a little dried parsley and thyme.  Let your stock simmer, uncovered, for about three hours.  Don't boil or stir stock- the simmering will do that for you.  If you let it boil or stir it, you can make it cloudy.

I like to use yellow onion peels in my stock.  It gives it a beautiful color (obviously more so than white onion).  Keep in mind the bell peppers will turn the stock color, as will red onions.  If you are trying to make brown stock, stay away from red onions, red peppers, and tomatoes. 

NEVER EVER salt your stock.  Always salt recipes at the end.  Salt flavor cooks out the longer you cook something, so adding salt in the beginning is a good way to increase your sodium intake by quite a bit.  

When the stock is done, it should be clear and a brown or red color, depending on the veggies you use.  Let the stock cool a little and strain, using a colander, into another pot.  Then strain using cheesecloth into another container.  You can refrigerate stock for 7-10 days of freeze for months.

For chicken stock, I add either a raw piece of chicken or the leftover carcass (I hate that word).  If you use raw chicken, you will need to simmer the stock for about 5-6 hours, so the chicken is cooked completely before you strain it.  Bones add the most flavor, so when you can, use bones as well as the meat.

For beef broth, it's best to drizzle the beef and beef bones with oil and roast in the oven on 350 for about an hour, then add to the stock.  Simmer that for about 5-6 hours, the same as chicken.

I also throw some apple cider vinegar in it sometimes for a kick. Just a little gives a lot it a lot flavor. 

Minestrone- vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and 0 Points on Weight Watchers!

Busy Mama Recipes




There is no "set" recipe for minestrone.  It originates in Italy, and is commonly made with vegetables, stock, and beans.  I was taught that authentic minestrone is made with bean stock, but also that the recipe varies widely in Italy depending on the region and the vegetables in season.


One of my friends told me that every time she makes minestrone it tastes so "blah".  The great thing about most soup is you can add almost anything to them without ruining them.  Hopefully you all will think this recipe is far from "blah".. ;-)


I think one of the things that really makes soups amazing is homemade stock.  If your stock tastes like water, even the most delicious recipes can be boring.  I will post a recipe later for stock... it is very simple and hands-off.  I made the following recipe, so it's vegetarian (although not vegan because I put parmesan in it, and there were eggshells in the stock).  If you want to add meat, just saute it in the same pan, and when it's done, add the remaining ingredients in the same order and follow the recipe as usual.


Another good tip is to use fresh herbs.  You can buy those little combo packs at the grocery store.  They are usually named "beef medley" or "poultry medley".  In this recipe I used parsley, basil, and oregano.  You can of course, use dried herbs or a different combination of herbs.  Use whatever you like best.


INGREDIENTS


2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1/2 small white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 cup fresh spinach cut into ribbons
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 large tomato, diced 
1 small potato, diced
8 cups stock, depending on how chunky/ thin you want your soup.  I used vegetable stock, but you can use any kind of stock you have.
1 small box pasta (I actually used tortellini the other day and it was delicious.  Usually I use shells or macaroni)
1/2 cup wine- red or white, make sure it's dry and not sweet
salt and pepper
1 tsp lemon juice


In a large, heavy bottom stock pot, saute the vegetables and garlic.  If using meat, saute the meat in the oil until it's done, then add the veggies. Deglaze the pot with the wine.  Add the tomatoes and beans.


When everything is hot, add the stock.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and let simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and add the lemon juice.  Add the spinach at the end.


At this point you can either add the pasta to the soup or do what I do: boil it separately the serve the soup over the pasta.  I do this because usually we don't eat all the soup on one sitting, so we end up with leftovers.  If the pasts sits in the soup, it will get soggy.  If you are going to eat all the soup in one sitting, there's no use in dirtying another pot.


I garnished this soup with shaved Parmesan cheese and served it with garlic bread.  

*** This soup is a clean-out-your-fridge soup.  You can add whatever veggies you want- fresh, frozen, or canned.  Corn, pees, green beans, etc would all be great additions.

By the way, use more veggies and omit the pasta, potatoes, and beans, and this recipe is: 

 ZERO POINTS ON WEIGHT WATCHERS!!!