The first of many “Make Your Own” posts will be Chicken Broth. This is as easy as can be and turns out great when you need a chicken base for soup or to make those “cream of whatever” soups!
First, you need the bones, leftover meat, veggies, and broth from ANY meal. OR if you buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery, throw the leftovers of that in the crock pot and make this yummy broth with that too!
Take all the leftovers and put them in your crock pot. Throw in any extra root vegetable like parsnips, potatoes, carrots etc. Season however you like. For my first try I just added salt and pepper and a bay leaf. My friend told me she adds a few whole peppercorns. Get creative and add your favorite spices!
Now, add water until all bones and veggies are submerged.
Put your crock pot on low and leave it on overnight.
In the morning, your house not only smells AMAZING, but your chicken broth is DONE! The liquid should turn a medium dark brown color.
All you have to do now is strain the mixture. I got 2 bowls and put them side by side.
One bowl had a strainer setting on top of it. I ladled spoonfuls from the crock pot to the strainer. As the broth leaked through the strainer, the bones and veggies were left in the strainer. Then I dumped the strainer into the second bowl. By the end I had 3 FULL cups of chicken broth (or about 24 oz).
I kept the carrots for snacks for my toddlers and kept the celery to make Cream of Celery Soup. 
Well I already calculated the chicken when I made my Whole Chicken Crock Pot meal so I’m considering the bones, chicken and veggies FREE (plus spices). I was just going to throw out the bones anyway right?
Let’s talk prices—>
I added 2 cups baby carrots to make this broth which cost $0.84.
SOooooooo… 3 cups of chicken broth cost me a whopping $0.84. Compare that to 2 cups (14 oz can) of Swanson or even store brand chicken broth at $1.00 or more and you are saving big time AND you know exactly what ingredients are in your chicken broth. This was not a difficult feat because the stuff cooked while you were sleeping! HA! Gotta love that!
Tell me how your broths are turning out! What creative concoctions are you coming up with?
Five Dollar Dinner 