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I have decided to do a cooking diary today, after seeing comment by shirlstars asking why I have not shared my cooking and recipes. |
What I would like to do today is to focus on low cost, money stretching ideas for cooking.
So my entry will be how to make many delicious, economical, sumptous meals from one chicken;
Many meals with one chicken
First you start with one whole chicken, can be cut up or whole, broiler or fryer.
Put chicken in a pot, covered with water, add 1 lg. chopped up onion, salt and bring to a boil and then turn down heat immediately and simmer for about 1 hour, till the chicken is falling off the bones.
Allow to cool and then separate the chicken from the broth, saving the broth and set aside.
Remove chicken from bones, return the bones to a new pot of water, with another onion chopped into it and repeat the above process, simmering for about an hour.
Dish 1:
Use the second broth and add to that vegetable such as broccoli, onions, garlic, zuchinni, italian spice mix, and 1 can of chopped tomatoes, any style..Cook this until vegs. are simmered and then add in small pieces of ground beef. Allow to cook for a few minutes until meat is cooked, it will be very quick about 5 min.
By now the soup will be thick and delicious, spoon into bowls, serve with salsa, and flour tortilla’s browned in a skillet, buttered and then rolled up.
Dish 2
Using the first pot of broth, add water to make it thinner, take half in a pot and heat to just a boil.
Now go back to your chicken and take half of the chicken, usually the legs and thighs, place the meat in a food processor and add to that green onions, salt, a little cornstarch, (maybe a tbs.) and 1 egg + any spices you like and grind up.
Shape this into small meatballs size and drop into the simmering broth and allow to cook for about 10 to 15 min. Vegs. can be added to broth as well for a delicious soup.
Dish 3
Take the remainder of the broth, heat to boil, add noodles of your choice, and veg. if desired and when noodles are cooked add dumplings as in the recipe on mix box. When those are done and just before serving add pieces of chicken and serve. Traditional chicken and dumplings.
Note: you could also reserve some chicken for wrapping in tortillas, or chicken salad or stir frys and stretch this even further.
It’s been awhile since I did my grand chicken experiment so I have forgotten all the dishes I made with the one chicken, but you get the idea don’t you?
Next time I will do something on oriental cooking, which can be very inexpensive not to mention tasty.
So, there you have my recipes, now tell us yours, and especially food and money stretching ideas.
