How to Make Homemade Chicken Stock

With the fall season only around the corner, now is a great time to begin filling the freezer with flavorful stocks. Making stock is a great way to utilize "scraps", reduce waste, and capitalize on everyday items. Normally, when cooking chicken, parts like bones, wing tips, etc. are commonly discarded. Employ these parts to make a no-fail, flavorful stock that can be used for fall and winter recipes such as a hearty chicken soup, or cornbread stuffing, just to name a few.

You Will Need:
Discarded tips/pieces from a whole chicken (some prefer to use a whole chicken, uncut)
Two celery stalks
Two whole carrots
One whole onion (yellow, Vidalia, and/or red)
One leek (discard green portion)
Tablespoon of black peppercorns
Two garlic cloves
Bay leaf
One bunch of fresh parsley
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
Three quarts of water
Storage container

Optional: green/bell pepper, salt

Instructions:
Cut celery, onion, carrots, and leeks in halves. Heat water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add chicken parts, vegetables, spices and herbs. Lower temperature, and let stock boil for three hours to maximize flavor. Strain through a fine sieve into a storage container and refrigerate (for up to two days) or freeze.