Chicken or Turkey Stock

Ready to use canned stocks contain approximately 1500 mg sodium a cup whereas this homemade stock contains only 15 mg sodium a cup. Stock freezes well, too.

3 qts water
3# uncooked chicken parts or cooked carcass (just breasts works well, too)
2 large onions, quartered
1 medium carrot, halved
2 celery ribs with leaves, halved
8-10 peppercorns

Herb bag (place in cheesecloth, add to stock, remove at end of cooking time)
1 tbsp parsley flakes
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp whole THYME
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1 bay leaf

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, combine water, poultry parts, onions, carrot and celery. Bring to a boil; add herb bag and peppercorns. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 3 hours.

Aunt Diane

Brown Sugar Shortbread

1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Gradually stir in the flour. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth--about 3 minutes. Pat into a 1/3 inch thick rectangle measuring 11 x 8 inches. Cut into 2 x 1 inch strips. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Prick with a fork multiple times (to make them look like shortbread). Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown. Cool for 5 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield 3 1/2 dozen.

Thanks to my Aunt Leona

Somethin' New...

I thought it would be fun to swap recipes with other people and put something different on our table at night... It seems we have the same 3 dinners every week. I have to give credit to my Aunt Diane for the idea--now she'd better contribute! If you'd like to be a contributer please leave a comment or contact me and I'll invite you in as an author...