HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK, SHREDDED CHICKEN ENCHILADAS & MONTHLY GIVEAWAY!

Happy Valentine's Day...

to you!!!

May your day be filled with happiness and love!

MONTHLY GIVEAWAY!

I have started a Monthly Giveaway. I will be drawing names from
followers that comment. The drawings will be on the 1st of each month!

Sending a bunch of Prim Dried Carrots with some Dried Grass to a lucky FOLLOWER that has commented during February!
These will be perfect for your Spring Decor. Remember each new posting you comment on, will be another chance for you to win the Prim Dried Carrots & Dried Grass


HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

This is a wonderful chicken stock, my go-to recipe. It's time consuming, but worth every bit of effort.
The taste is fantastic!! It is terribly easy & makes a bunch of stock!

INGREDIENTS:

3 (5-pound) roasting chickens
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 (optional)
20 sprigs fresh parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

DIRECTIONS:

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16- to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove 2 of the chickens and allow to cool slightly. Remove the breast meat from both chickens and set aside. Return the remaining chicken and carcasses to the pot and continue simmering, uncovered, for 3 more hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and chill. Remove the surface fat, & pack in containers and freeze.

Debone the chicken, cut into chunks or shred. (The shredded chicken makes very good Chicken Enchiladas) Freeze the chicken you will not use in a few days.

Any stock that will be used within two days can go into the fridge in a covered container. the rest should be dipped into freezer-safe containers (24 oz containers are great) and frozen. your stock will keep for many months, though it’s bound not to last that long.

When you need stock (for rice, beans, soups, stews & veggies…basically anything savory) just grab one of the containers, sit it in some cool water to thaw the edges, pop it into a pan, and melt it down.
Recipe from Ina Garten


SHREDDED CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This is time consuming, but you get the best enchiladas you have ever ate. It is well worth the time & effort!

INGREDIENTS

2 fresh poblano chiles
1 cup (lightly packed) roughly chopped spinach leaves
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter—or you can use vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup flour
Salt
3 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas
A little vegetable oil for brushing or spraying
About 1 cup Mexican melting cheese (Chihuahua, quesadilla, asadero or the like) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar
A little chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Make the sauce. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly, until the skins have blistered and blackened on all side, about 5 minutes for an open flame, about 10 minutes under the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and, when handleable, rub off the blackened skin, tear open and pull out the seed pod and stem. Quickly rinse to remove any stray seeds or bits of skin. Roughly chop and put in a blender jar. Add the spinach.
In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, combine the milk and broth, set over medium-low heat to warm.

In a large (4-quart) saucepan, melt the butter (or heat the oil) over medium. Add the garlic and cook for a minute to release its aroma, then add the flour and stir the mixture for a minute. Raise the heat to medium-high. Pour in the warm broth mixture and whisk constantly until the sauce boils. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Pour half the hot sauce into the blender with the chiles and spinach. Cover loosely (I remove the center part of the lid, secure the lid, then drape a cloth over the whole thing) and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining sauce. Taste and season with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons.

Finish the enchiladas. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Smear about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the bottom of each of four to six 9-inch individual ovenproof baking/serving dishes or smear about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir 1 cup of the sauce into the chicken.
Lay half of the tortillas out on a baking sheet and lightly brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil; top each tortilla with another one and brush or spray those with oil. Bake just to warm through and soften, about 3 minutes. Stack the tortillas and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Working quickly so that the tortillas stay hot and pliable, roll a portion of the chicken up in each tortilla, then line them all up in the baking dish(es). Douse evenly with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the enchiladas are hot through (the cheese will have begun to brown), about 20 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve without hesitation
Recipe from Chef Rick Bayless