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.

This recipe was in the Washington Post this morning. I had never heard of chayote squash before. I can't say if this soup is any good, but I saved it to give it a try. You can try it first :) Chicken Rice Soup With Avocado The Washington Post, January 20, 2010 Dinner in 40 Minutes * Course: Soup * Features: Fast Summary: Soup's on, and it's not what you'd expect. Cooked long-grain rice does double duty here, in the vegetable-packed broth and as a binder for the small meatballs made from ground chicken. The last-minute addition of cubed avocado adds a silkiness to each slurpy spoonful. And where there's avocado, a little lime is right at home. For best results, use a non-cloudy, good-quality chicken broth. Chayote squash lends sweetness to the soup, but feel free to omit it if you can't track it down. We found it at Whole Foods Market. 4 servings Ingredients: * 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, preferably homemade * 1/2 -inch piece ginger root * 1 medium clove garlic * 1 small or 1/2 large fennel bulb * 6 to 8 baby-cut carrots * 1/2 medium onion * 1 (9 ounces) chayote squash (optional; see headnote) * Leaves from 6 stems cilantro * 3/4 teaspoon salt * 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika * 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano * 8 ounces ground chicken * 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper * 1/2 cup cooked long-grain rice * Flesh of 1 ripe avocado * 1 lime * 1 to 2 Thai or serrano chili peppers (optional) Directions: Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high to high heat. Meanwhile, add the following to the broth as you work: Peel the ginger and cut into 3 slices. Use a knife to smash and peel the garlic. Core the fennel, then cut it into small dice (1/2 cup). Cut the carrots into small dice (1 cup). Peel the onion and cut into small dice (1/2 cup); peel the chayote, if using, and cut into small dice (1 1/4 cups). The soup should be bubbling at the edges or at a slow boil while you add the vegetables. Finely chop the cilantro to yield 1/3 cup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano; stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes; the vegetables should be almost tender. Meanwhile, combine the ground chicken, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano, the white pepper and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro in a medium bowl. Mix well, then add 2 tablespoons of the cooked rice. Uncover the soup and increase the heat to medium. Use a small disher (scoop) or tablespoon measure to form the chicken mixture into about 16 balls that are slightly smaller than walnuts. Drop the meatballs into the broth as you work. Cover, and reduce the heat to low; cook for 5 or 6 minutes. The meatballs should be cooked through. Cut the avocado into small dice. Cut the lime into very thin slices. Seed and mince the chili peppers, if using, to taste. Uncover the soup and discard the ginger slices. Add the remaining rice and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the avocado. Cook for 1 minute to warm through, then remove from the heat. Divide among individual bowls and garnish with the lime slices, the remaining cilantro and the minced chili peppers, if desired. Serve hot. Recipe Source: Adapted from “The Elements of Life,” by Su-Mei Yu (Wiley, 2009). Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post. E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions. Made This Recipe? Write a Review (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) * Print This Recipe * E-mail This Recipe Nutrition Facts Information per serving Calories: 211 % Daily Values* Total Fat: 9g 14 Saturated Fat: 1g 5 Cholesterol: 40mg 13 Sodium: 1273mg 53 Total Carbohydrates: 18g 6 Dietary Fiber: 6g 24 Sugar: 3g Protein: 17g *Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Total Fat: Less than 65g Saturated Fat: Less than 20g Cholesterol: Less than 300mg Sodium: Less than 2,400mg Total Carbohydrates: 300g Dietary Fiber: 25g

Man...I can't imagine a pot of potato soup with 10 pounds of potatoes...was that a mistake? One of the best potato soups I've ever had was made with a bag of the square cut frozen hash browns. But I can't remember the recipe. If I can find it I add it here. patti

Well thanks ya'll. I just dug up this thread when ysop was looking for senate bean soup recipe. Glad you and your family enjoyed it Judi. Smiles. I eat soup for breakfast and lunch generally until I'm done with the curernt batch that is unfrozen. I just finished my first gallon of lentil soup, so tonight I am going to brine the beans for this bean soup. I just started brining the beans in the past six months or so and can't believe the difference. The skins are so much more tender and it takes a lot less time to cook the whole soup. The outcome is that you can cook it till the beans are tender without having all the skins come off and floating around. I had just bought a ham to use mostly for soups and froze quart bags of meat and skins to use, but also have the big bone, soooo.. this time I'm making 4 lbs at a time so I can use the big bone. Ah... happy camper. Time to start some artisan bread to go with.