Homemade Chicken Stock

This is the first time I made chicken stock. I don't know why I was always intimidated by it. It couldn't have been easier since you just throw everything in a pot and forget about it. We had a whole chicken left over after roasting the other night, so I just threw the body in the stockpot along with some veggies and a few hours later - walla! - the perfect base for soups and to flavor rice.

Ingredients: 

1 - 2 whole chicken carcases, bones and meat

3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered 

6 carrots, unpeeled and halved 

4 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds 

4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in half 

20 sprigs fresh parsley 

15 sprigs fresh thyme

20 sprigs fresh dill 

1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise 

2 tablespoons kosher salt 

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns 

Directions:

~Place everything in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil.

~Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Use immediately or store in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

recipe modified from: Ina Garten