How to Make Tasty Soups and Soup Stocks for (Almost) Free

Money is tight, and many people are looking for ways to stretch their food budgets a little bit farther. Reducing or eliminating wasted food is a useful strategy to stretch the budget. After all, throwing away food is like throwing away money.

Many odds and ends around the kitchen that people throw out are very useful for making homemade soups and stocks. And once you've had a made-from-scratch soup with real home made stock, the canned soup stock won't measure up.

Here are some soup stocks you can make from odds and ends you might not have thought to save. Once you've made your soup stock, pack it in a small container and store it in the freezer. It'll be ready and waiting for you to thaw and use.

Chicken or turkey stock

When you finish carving a roasted chicken or the Thanksgiving turkey, don't throw out that carcass. Instead, place the bones and any odds and ends left over-wing tips, neck bones, meat scraps-in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Simmer gently for about 2 hours without boiling.

An onion, some carrots, celery, and parsley give the soup stock a traditional American flavor. The addition of a piece of fresh ginger makes an Asian stock.

You can freeze the carcass for a few days if you aren't ready to tackle making the soup stock right away.

Beef stock

Save beef bones and odds and ends trimmed from roasts in a zippered bag (e.g., Glad, Ziploc, etc.) in the freezer. When you have enough beef bones and ends, gently simmer the bones in enough water to cover them.

Fish stock

Fish stock makes a tasty base for bisques, chowders, or bouillabaisse. Again, you can save the makings of your soup stock in a zippered plastic bag in the freezer. Try saving shrimp, crab or lobster shells and simmering them for about 30 minutes in just enough water to cover them. Fish heads or bones can also be used to make fish stock.

Vegetable stock

Save trimmings from vegetables-carrot and potato peelings, celery tops, and other bits of vegetables-in a plastic bag in the freezer. You can also use vegetables that are slightly past their prime but not yet spoiled.

Carrots, onions, celery, turnips, parsnips, and potatoes are especially good in soup stock. Avoid cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage. These are too strongly flavored for stock and can make it taste odd. Parsley, ginger, bay leaves, or fresh herbs are other useful additions.

Parmesan cheese rinds

If you buy good-quality parmesan cheese and grate it yourself, you will eventually be left with the rind. You can use this to add a rich flavor to minestrone soup or lentil soup.

Frugal and Tasty Minnestrone Soup
2 quarts chicken, turkey, beef, or vegetable stock
1 c. dry navy beans, soaked overnight in water
2 c. frozen mixed vegetables
¼ c. chopped fresh, or 1 T. dry parsley
2 bay leaves
1 rind from a wedge of parmesan cheese
2 15 oz cans tomato puree or crushed tomatoes, or 3 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
salt to taste
1 c. elbow macaroni or other pasta, cooked according to package directions
Combine all the ingredients except the elbow macaroni and salt in a large soup pot. Simmer 1 ½ hours until the beans are tender. Remove the cheese rind and bay leaves. Add cooked pasta and salt to taste.

Ham bone

If you carved a large ham or ham steak and have a bone left over, save it and use it to flavor a pot of beans or soup. Try it in New-Orleans style red beans and rice, split pea soup, or blackeyed peas.

Busy Mom's Red Beans and Rice
1 lb red kidney beans
2 large onions, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 T Worchestershire sauce
1 c. wine
1 ham bone, leftover from a cooked ham
salt and pepper to taste
water
Rince the beans and place them in a pot. Add the onion, garlic, pepper, Worchestershire sauce, ham bone, and wine. Add enough water to cover the beans, plus one inch. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, place the pot on the stove, bring to a boil, and cook on low heat for several hours. Add more water if the beans look too dry. You may also use a crock pot. Serve with cooked white rice. Remove the bone before serving.