Since it’s post holiday gorge/new years eat healthy resolution time and since it’s frigid, so many people seem to be turning to warm and healthy soups. Count me in on that! Every time we have whole birds, whole fish or meat with bones and such, I tell myself I should be saving those to make stock. This past Thanksgiving…. I actually did it!Just saved the carcass in the freezer for the next time we had a lazy Sunday at home. During the last snow storm, our house was filled with the warm and homey scent of the stock brewing on the stove. For the past few weeks we have been working through our stock of stock making quick easy soups. Mmmm….so much tastier than those we had made with store bought stock!

(Note to self: Dave’s brother just brought freshly caught Mahi Mahi back from visiting their dad in St. Lucia, must start a container in the freezer to save fish scraps!!)

Anyway, its so simple I’m not sure this can even be called a recipe but here goes….

1. Put all the scraps – bones, cartilage, skin, etc. – in a big pot filled with water.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots and any herbs and spices you want. Not too heavy on the herbs and spices because you will be reducing it for a while and they will become more intense. Also, you want to be able to season the things you make with it individually so they do not all taste the same.
3. Bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for at least 4 hours.
5. Every once in a while, skim any foam off the top
6. Add water as needed (the more bones and the smaller the pot, the more often you will need to add water)
7. Once the liquid in the pot looks and tastes like what you want for your stock, strain out all of the stuff (bones, vegs, etc.) with a cheesecloth or strainer with small holes so that you have nothing but liquid left
8. Let the liquid cool so the fat rises and gets a bit firm. Skim the fat off the top.
9. Divide it into containers to freeze and use later.