Easy chicken broth, chicken soup, and fried plantains.

Yesterday I threw that package of chicken thighs in my stock pot and let them boil/simmer for an hour or two. Prior to boiling, I filled it to the top with water and added 1/2 an onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, two stalks of celery, and 1/2 a large carrot, leaving them whole. When it was done simmering, I lifted out the handy straining pot with the chicken in it and let it drain before putting the thighs in a container for the fridge. I also put the broth through a colander and put it in containers in the fridge (to let the fat rise to the top). I used 3 thighs for last night's stir fry, but the rest of them I de-boned today and portioned out into meal-sized packages. I ended up with enough for 5 more meals. After packaging the chicken, I got out the broth, skimmed the fat off the top, and put it in some containers for the freezer, leaving out enough for a good batch of soup tonight (for which I will also be using one package of the chicken). For less than $6, you can't beat 6 meals of meat and a good supply of tasty chicken broth.

Friday's Feasts
B: Peanut butter and honey on wheat toast, fried eggs, and apple juice.
L: Chicken and brown rice stir fry leftovers.
D: Chicken, veggie, and brown rice soup with homemade wheat bread.... chicken soup recipe to follow, but baby is needing attention and I've got to put the bread in the breadmaker :).
The chicken soup turned out lovely.

Here's the recipe:

Becci's Kickin' Chicken Soup
1 med onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 med carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lg potato, peeled and cubed
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1-2 C. cooked, chopped chicken
1/2 C. brown rice
1.5 quarts (6 C) chicken broth
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
sprinkle of ginger
sprinkle of chili powder
A lotta love

Sautee veggies in pan with olive oil until onions are tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil, then turn to low and simmer for a good hour or so until carrots and brown rice are cooked through. Serve with buttered rolls or bread. The chili powder and ginger are to taste.

*I forgot to mention that there were some plantains at Gleaner's. The skins were dark, and the instructions on the sticker said to cook them green (which I have done in the past). I found that I liked them even better dark since they had a sweeter flavor. They cooked up just as well.

Fried Plantains
Heat oil in a skillet. Slice plantains into pieces about 1/4-1/2 inch thick and fry for 3 minutes per side. Remove plantains and blot with paper towels, then flatten with a plate. Return slices to hot oil and fry until golden brown. Dry on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. I sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar in addition to the salt and I have to say it was the perfect addition. I am totally doing this again! They were soft on the inside and crunchy, sweet, and salty on the outside.


This post has been linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge