Chicken Broth

from Everything Once a Month Cooking Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 4-6 pound whole stewing chicken
2 stalks celery cut into chunks
2 carrots cut into chunks (I used a bunch of baby carrots cut in half)
2 onions thickly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 quarts water

1. place all ingredients in a large stock pot. bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. partially cover the post and let it simmer for 2 hours.
2. remove the chicken from the broth and set aside (pull the meat from the bones and use in recipes or freeze to use later). Strain broth through a sieve and refrigerate overnight.  The next day, remove fat from top of broth and strain again through cheesecloth.  Freeze broth in 1 cup portions in 1 pint zipper-lock bags.

3. To thaw and reheat: Thaw overnight in refrigerator or place frozen broth in saucepan and heat over low heat until liquid. Use in recipes as desired.
4. this can also be done in a slow cooker if cooked on low all day.

(I took the veggies that were strained from the broth and pureed them, with plans to freeze and later use the seasoned puree in a soup or sauce)
makes 2 quarts of broth