I love to cook for my kids. It's part of my internal template of 'being a good mother'; scratch cook where I can, and always have home-made cookies or cake in a tupperware container on the counter-top. What can I say? I blame my own mother for being the ultimate domestic goddess. Well, that and the fact that living with two children with allergies means that many pre-made and processed foods are - literally - off the menu.
So, in a moment of madness, I actually kept the chicken carcass from yesterday's (shop-bought) roast chicken, thinking, 'Ooh - I can make stock with that! We can have chicken noodle soup, and... chicken noodle soup, and... some other stuff I can't think of right now.' Then, I realised I couldn't remember how to make chicken stock, so looked up a recipe.
I reached the part where it said 'simmer the bones over a low heat for up to 3 hours' and was suddenly assaulted by the memory of the smell of our kitchen 9 years ago, when I was making chicken stock whilst weaning Boy #1 and following the lovely Annabel Karmel's advice to the letter. Most of her recipes were wonderful. Chicken stock, however, proved a bridge too far. The house stank, I stank, the streets outside were tumble-weed central. I swear the whole neighbourhood was on lock-down because of that ruddy stock.
You know what? I think I forgot that very simple recipe - the chicken bones, cold water, a few veg, a bit of salt & pepper - for good reason.
I will do many things for my children, but it seems that here is one that I won't. Life is too short to make my own chicken stock.
And I never much liked chicken noodle soup, anyway...
What is your parenting limit?
I make my own stock occasionally, but I draw the line at sewing. I can do buttons and maybe a patch if necessary, but that's where it stops.
ReplyDeleteNow stock I can do. I just bung it in the slow cooker overnight will the leftover veg off cuts and water
ReplyDeleteOh, I LOVE making stock! It always turns out well (not like cakes), and it makes me feel all earth-mothery, and part of a long line of women who've made stock down the centuries. I agree it can be a bit stinky...
ReplyDeleteWhat's my limit? Ironing. I only iron school shirts and nothing else. And I don't tidy my children's bedrooms. They have to do that, or live in a mess (and guess which one they choose).
I'm one of the crowd and LOVE doing home made stock! Portion it into freezer bags and use it for soups as needed. I know one mom who freezes it in ice cubes trays. Places them in a mug to warm up with noodles for kids after school snack.
ReplyDeleteMy limit....bed time. When the mr is home, he does bed time! By then I have reached my limit. When he is gone, the older child puts himself to bed. And if the younger one wasn't so young, I'd have her do it too. Terrible, I know! Oh....and I don't read with them. Shsh! I know, I know....the mr does that too.
Gee, I sound like a horrible mom. You can have a pass on the stock now....
Funnily enough I have a pot of chicken stock on the boil at this minute! I'm not a fantastic cook, but that is one thing I always do. I use the stock to make risotto.
ReplyDeleteBaking is my limit - after many attempts to make the boys birthday cakes, I have pretty well given up and now buy them in. Luckily they don't seem to mind at all...
I'm with you. Stock stinks. And never seems to taste as good as the stuff I can buy. Apparently I never knew this until yesterday, but pastry is my nemesis. I made some. I thought it looked good. I baked it. It looked good, except for the huge crack in the middle of it which would mean all the filling would leak out and give it a soggy bottom. So I patched it. It looks god awful. Mary Berry would be keeling over in disgust. So I think I have found my limit in the art of pastry making.
ReplyDeleteI actually nodded and SMIRKED when I got to the part where you kept the carcass for stock... and then nodded knowingly when you didn't do it. Because I too have started this process with good intentions and then made the realisation that yes indeed life is far too short to make chicken stock!!! Funny post :)
ReplyDeleteBut I have to say that Jen has a great tip there about the slow cooker that I *might* try sometime...