Homemade Chicken Stock

Since we were up early yesterday, as per the usual early wake up call via the nugget, I dropped a beautiful {and cheap <--- thanks Windmill Farms!} whole chicken in the crock pot with a chopped onion and 21 seasoning salute.

We let the bird simmer most of the day whilst we visited the baby jaguars at the zoo..

yes blurry... but so CUTE!

and dodged fallen trees on the highway...

TIM...

BER...!

After a busy day we were ready for our delicious lupper (lunch + supper... since we ate at 4, or maybe we are just old and you could consider it an early bird special a la our house? You can decide...)

The hubs rocked out some homemade fries courtesy of this month's Food Network Magazine (Emeril's recipe) 

BAM!

It was definitely kicked up a notch.

Perfect accompaniment to our tender crock pot chicken.

With the remaining chicken carcass and juices leftover in the pot, I decided to give some homemade chicken stock a whirl.

Why not?

All I had to do was add 

1 onion

1 stalk of celery

some carrots

thyme and a bay leaf

added ingredients on top of chicken pieces and juices

I filled the crock pot up with water and cooked on low over night.

the stock this morning, after simmering in crock pot for 10 hours

This morning I ladled the stock out and drained through a mesh-like sieve...

measured out 2 cup portions...

hello delicious coffee in the heart mug

and poured into labeled bags to freeze for later use.

I have FOUR {2 cup} bags in the freezer, and one {2 cup} container in the fridge (to use this week)!!

That means I have TEN cups of chicken stock total!!!

Homemade + free = pure awesomeness!

After this was done,

I ran 2 miles,

whipped up some kale and eggs...

and sampled a lemon cucumber courtesy of our neighbors garden...

looks similar to a lemon, tastes like a cucumber, YUM

Now the nugget is taking a much needed nap before we go meet her auntie for lunch!

Have you ever made chicken stock before?

Care to share any good recipes I should use my abundance in?

Happy Wednesday!