Lately it feels as if every time I cross something off a list, another thing is there to take its place. I just can't seem to get ahead.

As I mentioned before, our half a cow will soon be on its way, so I needed to clear out some freezer space. After a bit of work, I was able to free up half of this freezer and another fridge-top freezer. Hopefully, that'll be enough space. So, I can cross that project off the list.

But, in order to create all this space, I needed to make some chicken broth.

Often when I take a chicken from the freezer to the kitchen, it's just to make use of the breast, thighs, and legs. I stick the rest of the carcass back into the bag and toss it into the freezer. I do the same with leftover parts of celery.

To make a batch of broth, I just throw in two carcasses, chopped celery, chopped carrot, chopped onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and salt and let it all simmer for as long as I can stand it. Yummm!

Once the broth has been strained off, I pick the bones of any meat that's leftover and store this cooked, shredded chicken in little 1/2 c. bags so that it's at the ready for chicken salad and the like.

This is actually a great time of year for me to be making broth. It's at the end of the growing season, so I'm able to make use of whatever jars aren't already occupied. And, we're just now entering the season in which I use a lot of broth for cooking hearty winter soups or big pots of rice or beans.

If you're looking to make use of your chicken leftovers and are thinking about making your own broth, you should definitely give it a try. The finished product is so much more flavorful than anything you can buy at the store. And, if pressure canning is out of the question and you don't have a 1/2 a cow headed your way, you can always freeze your broth in quart- or gallon-sized baggies.