[Kitchen Witch]

Do you like chicken and turkey? There is so much you can do with them.

Our local market has chickens on sale this week - so right now I've got 3 roasters in the oven. Of course we can't eat them all - but once cooked and thoroughly cooled (overnight in the refrigerator), I'll package them up in pieces for future meals - casseroles, warm up in gravy (which I will freeze separate), warm up in BBQ sauce, spaghetti sauce; dice and use in soups, stews, add to pasta dishes - shred for sammies - you name it.

When doing this for the freezer - I just do a basic flavoring - garlic, fresh parsley, kosher salt and pepper. The flavor is great and I can use the leftovers for anything at all.

The disappointing thing about today's birds - the necks and gizzards (which I love fried) were all chopped up and just shoved in the cavity - couldn't enjoy those as well. But I cleaned the birds, coated with a light coating of olive oil, seasoned outside and in the cavity - 350* F. till done; and I turn them and roast on the breast side as well.

I'll take them apart after dinner, the carcasses and skins and wings will go straight into the large soup pot - no skimming! Add chopped onion, celery, carrots and some chicken bouillon - great soup stock. Strain, bottle and freeze. Save some for soup tomorrow - just add veggies and rice or barley or noodles/pasta and some diced chicken. I save the glass quart-size salad dressing bottles - perfect for freezing broth. NOTE: After straining, ladle into jars - do not cover. Place in fridge to cool completely overnight. THEN cap and place in freezer. To use: thaw in refrigerator overnight. use in any recipe calling for chicken broth - and it's not loaded with SODIUM like canned broths are.

You can always make your own TV dinners as well - portion your meats, taters, sides, etc. in aluminum pie plates (if you have to), cool overnight in the fridge; cover with foil and freeze. Label and date - they don't last forever - but you can make them ahead for enjoying in a week or so. Pie plates will warm just right in the oven. If you have plastic containers that will go into the freezer and the microwave - that will work too.