I always cook my chicken/turkey bones a second time after removing the meat and storing it away. I keep the first broth in the fridge in quart-sized freezer containers, but I only fill each half way because I want to mix the second stock into the first before I pack it for the freezer. People are always surprised to see what nice broth you can get from just the bones, skin and gristle. Sometimes I will add water to the bones again after draining them, and stir this around. If the water starts looking like chicken stock, I'll cook the bones again. When I'm finished with the bones, they are soft and will collapse to a sort of a paste when you pinch them between your fingertips. I smush this stuff and bury it in my garden. I have to do it when the dog isn't watching though, and set something on top of it for a few days. I love my crockpot, too! I've never looked into what it costs to run it. I also have one of those big electric roasters that I always cook my Thanksgiving turkey in (and later use it to simmer the bones for broth) and Dawn, if you want something that cooks up a huge amount, you need that! But it would be hard to carry to a fire, now that I think about it. And I do save bits and tads of things. I don't like mixing my meats together so I will usually put them in wide-mouthed tapered pint canning jars and label them as to whether they are poultry, beef or pork. Sometimes I will make up a "tv dinner" if we have maybe one serving left of something, and put it in the freezer for later. I collect the liquids from canned vegetables and bits and pieces of veggies like tomatoes, celery, asparagus and outer cabbage leaves, in a plastic coffee jug in the freezer. When it's full I thaw it out, add add whatever I think it needs more of. Usually this is chicken or beef, some broth, and maybe a jar of canned tomatoes. A chopped onion. Add a can of mixed veggies from the store or a part of a bag of frozen. Actually I prefer the canned as it has potatoes in it. Heat all this up, add enough cornstarch to give it a nice smooth consistency. DH has a sensitive stomach so I don't spice it up. Just salt and pepper. If I'm feeding kids I add a little sugar, unless there's lots of liquid from canned corn in that batch. Yum.

Lou, yes, you get a gold star. Linda C -- Thank you so much for the suggestion of broccoli cheese soup. I just dropped some off for Amy. We had a little of it, and it's great -- too fattening for the regular rotation, but a treat. Here is the recipe I used, based on SweetFoodie.com's recipe which is in turn based on EatingWell's. I didn't put any cayenne in because I am not sure that Amy wants even that tiny bit of spice, but I put it in my own bowl. Also I didn't get around to making the croutons, which would make it even better, I'm sure. Mmmm! Broccoli-Cheddar-Corn Chowder SOUP: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 large potato, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth 8 ounces broccoli crowns cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated (or buy a bag of pre-cut crowns)(I used one regular bunch of broccoli) 1 cup shredded reduced-fat (I used regular) Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream (I used Tofutti, as I had some) 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 can of corn, drained (I used frozen) CROUTONS: About 3 cups of your favorite bread, cubed. (I had pumpernickel on hand) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt Soup Recipe: 1. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat (I think medium would be better next time). Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. 2. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. 3. Using an immersion blender or blender, puree the soup. 4. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through, about 2 minutes. 5. Mix in the canned corn 6. Season with salt 7. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese and a handful of croutons (see recipe below) Crouton Recipe (make while the soup is cooking): 1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees 2. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, mustard and salt until evenly covered. 3. Spread the cubes evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10 - 20 minutes, or until the croutons are golden and crunchy. Toss them once or twice with a metal spatula along the way.

If you are up this morning, feeling pretty good, except for maybe some monday blues, you are running probably 85/15. A loose healthy number, 85 being a healthy system having no problem dealing with 15% everyday bacteria. The numbers shift a bit if your system is working hard dealing with a 'bug', or the common cold. As a home cook, it is being responsible to make safe decisions if a family member is not feeling well. Or if cooking for a crowd. I remember the NYTimes article. Choices explained. The original question was answered and i think a good choice was made to dump it. Sure you can boil it over and over and 'kill' it. Killing any flavor or food value as well. Our chili was chilled quickly but i still give any re-heats a good time on the stove. We have all dealt with foodborne pathogens. Those little 6-24hr unexplained 'bugs'. Or just a grumbly stomach. Others are more obvious and memorable. I've had a few. Not from our home that i've traced. Usually having eaten something out or at work. Why i like to serve buffet style for a crowd keeping everything hot/cold. Or serve right from the warm oven, in smaller serving dishes, passed around the table that can be re-filled when empty. Ha ha. Mr Sleeven IS sleevendog. We signed up with his screen name when shopping for my garden hog tractor. I remember seeing the other forums, "oh look, cooking people..." 'Sleeven' is a sneaky rascal person in the Newfoundland dictionary. I actually think it has one 'e', as in sleven. Not only is it spelled wrong, it isn't even me. : ) I agree about the hand sanitizers. Creep texture and where does it go?...I don't mind seeing them all over though. I've been in many NYC elevators with sneezy walking flu bombs.

A bit boring but i've done the same method for years. A roasted chicken dinner, very comforting. I roast two organic chickens using the oven roasting heat. Cut some onions in half, cut side down in the roasting pan for 'feet' under the chickens....add some big carrots cut in large chunks and a few celery ribs. Garlic. Add a cup of water and roast. Another 1/2 sheet pan of mixed veg and root veggies go on the lower rack half way through the chicken roasting. Kale or collards as a side dish. I also have a mixed sprouted grain side and/or a bean, usually white beans. Sometimes black beans. A Saturday or Sunday no brainer dinner but comfort food. Pan juices and veg make a nice gravy. Stock pot is already simmering with veg cuttings and h2o when we sit down for a nice meal. That roast chicken is then picked of meat, usually more than half left over, then the bones, the carcass back, is cracked and broken then into the stock pot. I always have chicken feet, (great pup snacks), in the freezer. And duck paws frozen in packs with duck necks for stock. The other chicken i cut into parts and give it a spice rub and marinade for a bbq style roasted chicken dinner. Pick more of the meat and fridge it. I end up with a dozen or more meals that are not at all left-overs. Chicken salad, a few qrts of soup...add some of the picked chicken to each qrt, then some of the finely sliced greens uncooked i set aside, some rice or some of the beans, fridge those container, then top with the stock/broth once it is chilled, then freeze. A few smaller pints i fill with beans and rice, then top with stock as well for the freezer. Gives me quick options later for soups. I often food saver some picked chicken with a spice rub that can be pulled out of the freezer for tacos or a filling for arepas...easy small sauce pan heat-up with some miropoix and chili sauce. Still have a few pints of just stock i freeze. Produce is expensive. My garden produce is special enough that canned or purchased stock/broth is not worthy. Making our own stock is practically free. Just the stovetop heat cost. And maybe i just enjoy it. I'm making my own choices and using basic cooking skills. I never salt it. Enough sodium in the veg. Celery and carrots and greens have plenty of salt. Fresh greens i may add later when i make soups and stews from the stock/broth have sodium as well. I may add some parm to a soup later. I adjust for salt to the table. A spicy garlic yogurt salsa as a topping for a stew or soup is huge in flavor and i may not want an extra salty. We made sea salt last spring and find a finishing salt much better added when needed, a pinch, at the table, is a better flavor enhancer as a last minute ingredient.