A Chicken In Every Pot!

Isn't that what they said back in the day??? Depending on the size of your family, one chicken can feed a family well. Since our kids are out on their own...one chicken can provide the two of us with 3 to 4 meals!!! How you ask? Well, I'm gonna tell you. Just hang on now because I want to first tell you how to do that on the cheap.

Check with your butcher in the store where you shop. You can find out from him/her when they do the markdowns at their store. You can find a whole chicken regularly priced from anywhere between $4.50 to $8.00 (higher price for the organic poultry) marked down 30-50%. That can take you down to $2.25-$4.00 depending on your choice. Remember...you can freeze this for later. Just because it's marked down doesn't mean it's bad meat. The store can only keep it in the refrigerated case for so long so then it's marked down for a quick sale. Divide the number of meals you can make ( average $3.00 cost divided by 3 meals = $1.00 divided by 2 people = .50 per meal per person!!!!) YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Oh by the way, you don't have to eat this dang chicken for 3 days in a row....you can freeze the soup or stock for another day!

Meal 1

Roast Chicken

1 Chicken
salt
fresh garlic
pepper
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 T butter

rub chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Place fresh garlic whole or crushed, rosemary and butter inside the chicken. Roast chicken at 325 degrees until cooked about 1 hour depending on the size of the chicken. Then mix some flour and warm water or corn starch and warm water in a small bowl to use as a thickening agent for the gravy. Put the drippings of the roast chicken into a pot (add some homemade stock for more gravy or a little water..do not add too much water or you will lose the flavor!) on med heat and gradually add the flour or corn starch mixture mixing well with so no lumps will form.

Meal 2

Remove leftover chicken from the bone. You can use this for tons of things. Chicken sandwiches for lunch, chicken salad for lunch or dinner, chicken tacos, chicken enchiladas. Your options are endless. If you want recipes or ideas email me and I will be happy to provide it for you.

Meal 3 or 4

Once you've removed the meat, take the carcass and stick this in a pot and cover with water. This is where you can get somewhat creative. Add whatever you have in your fidge. Take the ends and leaves of the celery, carrots...whatever, chop it up and add to the mixture. You can add additional seasonings if you want. Poultry seasoning, salt, Mrs. Dash, pepper. See what you have on hand. Add a little at a time to taste until you get the hang of this. Now that it has cooked down you can either strain it all and use this as stock in other meals or you can not strain it and use this as a base for your chicken soup. Soup??? Add a little of the leftover chicken, pasta, rice, kidney beans. You name it.

One of the benefits is that it is all fresh!!! Not to mention you control what is in these meals. If you need to limit salt....well then, there you go. It's all up to you.

tip tip tip tip.... most of you don't use leaves of celery, ends of carrots, bottoms of asparagus or green onions etc. Chop these puppies up and put them in a freezer bag and freeze all in one bag. Use this when making stock, stir frys, stews or crock pot dinners. Use EVERYTHING..no wasting so you really get the best bang for your buck!