Preparing for Hibernation

In getting ready for the arrival of a new baby, I’ve been preparing to hibernate for a few weeks by making freezer meals. The Heavenly Homemakers blog has some great recipes which I recommend. When she posted her meal plan last week, I tried the Italian Pasta Bake. It was delicious.

I’ve been making base “mixes” from which I (or hubby, preferably, hubby!) can make different meals later. Here’s a recipe for a chicken mix for your freezer. After making the mix, you can use the meat to make different meals.

To Make Chicken Mix:

*3-5 pound whole chicken

*Onions

*Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1) Rinse chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper

2) Add 1 medium chopped onion to a crock pot

3) Add chicken to the crockpot nd cook for 12 hours

(P.S. Don’t forget to remove the bag of “stuff” that’s inside the chicken. I forgot to do that last night!)

When the chicken is done, pulled the meat off the bone and put in 1 quart freezer bags, date it and place in the freezer.

Save the bones and the chicken skin to make chiceken broth.

To make chicken broth:

1) Place bones and skin in a large stock pot.

2) Add vegetables of your choosing: chopped onion, celery, carrots. The amount you add is up to you.

3) Fill the stockpot with water.

4) Bring water to a boil, then swtich temperature to very low. Cover and cook on low for 48 hours. You can add water as needed.

5) When the 48 hours are up, strain the broth and dump the bones and veggies in the trash.

6) Freeze broth for later. I freeze it in 1 gallon freezer bags. I double the bags for extra protection.

You can make chicken noodle soup, chicken rice soup, or whatever your chicken dish you come up with.

Have a great Monday.