stampinblue
08-31-2004, 05:23 PM
I am sure a lot of mamas already do this, but I thought I would post it anyway.
Homemade Broth/Stock
I make my own vegetable (or meat) broth or stock and all it costs me is some energy and effort. I keep 2 ziploc baggies in the freezer - 1 marked veggies and 1 marked meat. When I am trimming or peeling or seeding vegetables of all kinds, I toss the trimmings in the veggie bag. I even toss stems from fresh herbs into the bag. (But not the peel from waxed cucumbers - YUCK!) When we have bones from meat of any kind - pork, beef, chicken - I toss them in the meat bag. When my bags are full I make stock. I boil the bones for 1 hour skimming the foam that forms. Then I add the veggies and toss in a few bay leaves and peppercorns and simmer for 2-3 more hours. Then I strain it and cool it. I pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it. Then I pop the cubes out and put them in a ziploc in the freezer. Then when a recipe calls for stock or broth I just use my cubes! Sometimes I use a cube or two when a saute looks dry or to add flavor to something. My stock has no added salt, sugar, or preservatives. It is already pretty low fat. But if you want it fat free you can put it in the refrigerator over night and skim off the fat the next morning before you freeze it. You can also omit the bones and the skimming step to make veggie stock.
Homemade stuffing/bread pudding/ bread crumbs
I have another ziploc in my freezer marked bread. I put the heels of our bread in there along with other bread items that might go to waste such has half of a bun or a leftover pancake. When it is full I will pull it out and cube it up to make stuffing or bread pudding. To make bread crumbs instead I collect it all in a paper bag. When the bag is full it is usually all dried out. Then I put it into my blender (or food processor if I had one!) and make bread crumbs out of it. I keep these in a container on my pantry shelf and use them just like unseasoned store bought ones. I add seasoning myself.
Just thought you all might like to know how I turn trash into treasure!
Homemade Broth/Stock
I make my own vegetable (or meat) broth or stock and all it costs me is some energy and effort. I keep 2 ziploc baggies in the freezer - 1 marked veggies and 1 marked meat. When I am trimming or peeling or seeding vegetables of all kinds, I toss the trimmings in the veggie bag. I even toss stems from fresh herbs into the bag. (But not the peel from waxed cucumbers - YUCK!) When we have bones from meat of any kind - pork, beef, chicken - I toss them in the meat bag. When my bags are full I make stock. I boil the bones for 1 hour skimming the foam that forms. Then I add the veggies and toss in a few bay leaves and peppercorns and simmer for 2-3 more hours. Then I strain it and cool it. I pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it. Then I pop the cubes out and put them in a ziploc in the freezer. Then when a recipe calls for stock or broth I just use my cubes! Sometimes I use a cube or two when a saute looks dry or to add flavor to something. My stock has no added salt, sugar, or preservatives. It is already pretty low fat. But if you want it fat free you can put it in the refrigerator over night and skim off the fat the next morning before you freeze it. You can also omit the bones and the skimming step to make veggie stock.
Homemade stuffing/bread pudding/ bread crumbs
I have another ziploc in my freezer marked bread. I put the heels of our bread in there along with other bread items that might go to waste such has half of a bun or a leftover pancake. When it is full I will pull it out and cube it up to make stuffing or bread pudding. To make bread crumbs instead I collect it all in a paper bag. When the bag is full it is usually all dried out. Then I put it into my blender (or food processor if I had one!) and make bread crumbs out of it. I keep these in a container on my pantry shelf and use them just like unseasoned store bought ones. I add seasoning myself.
Just thought you all might like to know how I turn trash into treasure!