Homemade Chicken Stock

I can't imagine actually buying chicken broth anymore, much less ever thinking anything store bought was good!! I was absolutely AMAZED to find out how easy it is to make and so have to share:
~Chicken Carcass (leftover bones, meat, this is especially easy after you've had a roast chicken)
~Leftover scraps of celery, garlic, onions, carrots, and herbs (I've even added potatoes).
Put all of these together in a large stock-pot, fill with water, bring to boil, then turn it back and let it simmer. I usually let it simmer most of the day. Once done, I drain off the stock and begin either freezing it or getting it ready for canning.
Obviously it is a ridiculously simple recipe. The amount of "scraps" I use depends on how much chicken is in there as well. More chicken carcass = more veggie scraps. In the photo you can see the peel of an onion resting on the spoon and also a celery stalk. What you can also see is the beautiful golden drops of fat.
The chicken in this stock is one of our Speckled Sussexes. It was raised naturally and "on pasture" (also known as our backyard). The fat in this chicken is high in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which is known for, among other things, being an immunity booster. It is an anti-oxidant with anti-cancer properties and also can help reduce body fat. Here is a great link for more info on CLAs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjugated_linoleic_acid
SO, this is the reason chicken broth and chicken soup are so good for you! It is easy to make, helps find new use for leftovers or scraps that would've otherwise gone to waste, and it boosts the nutritional content of whatever you use it in.
Here are some ideas for uses:
1)In place of water in such dishes as grits and rice, and even mashed potatoes!
2)As a broth on it's own ~ great for cold days, or colds in general!
3)The classic chicken noodle soup: just cook up some noodles in it and add some fresh veggies and chicken!