Monday, August 26, 2013

27 Things to Remember in your 20's

As the 27th Anniversary of my birth quickly sneaks up on me, I thought it might be good to share some of my knowledge.  I am about to drop some wisdom on you that I've gained over the years. Ya dig?

27 Things to Remember in your 20's
(in no particular order)

27. Spend and Save Equally
      I don't believe in saving an entire paycheck, but I do believe in having money set aside for a rainy day.  In my life there has been monsoons on occasion that I needed that money for.  But, I also don't deny myself the things that I want.  Why do you ask?  Because you could die at any moment, so get the damn shoes.  
26. Give back
     Money comes and money goes.  Remember to help those who do not have what you have.  At this age men are more attracted to women who give back as opposed to women who take, take, take.
25. It's okay to be chubby
         I am chubby.  Always have been, always will be.  I wasn't meant to be a size 0.  Matter of fact, last time I was when I was an infant and my mom dressed my in toddler 0-3 month clothes.  It's okay!  I am perfect in other ways, and I am damn sure STILL BEAUTIFUL.  Don't let someone give you a false idea of who you should or shouldn't look like.  Try looking just like yourself.  Make sure to tell yourself your beautiful.
23. The people you love you will eventually lose
      By the age of 15 I had been to more funerals then I can even count.  Drugs, suicide, accidents, old age, etc.  Remember, the people you love need to know it.  Tell them and show them as often as you can.  One day you might not be able to.
22.  Work out hard
       Enjoy working out hard and letting your body recover.  This is something we need to take advantage of in our 20's,  because it'll get harder and harder with each passing decade.
21.  If you want the shoes, BUY THE SHOES
     Now,  I am talking about the $60 fabulous pumps you happened to pass at Macy's today which will perfectly top off your Sexy Saturday night outfit.  I am however not talking about the $550 Christian Louboutin pumps you saw at Nordstrom today.  You are not Carrie Bradshaw, keep it under wraps girl.
20.  No matter how you feel---get up, dress up, and SHOW UP
      The rudest thing you can do is RSVP and not show up.  Come on,  someone is paying for you to be there.  The least you can do is get over your hangover, get in the shower, put on your face, and get there.  There should be a dramatic emergency if you ain't showing up--like going into labor,  being called away overseas for the Navy,  or dire medical emergency which causes you to in surgery.
19. It's okay to have children when you are not married
      Don't get caught in the trap that the only fit mother is a married mother.  That is absolutely not true.  I know a couple amazing single mothers.  However, DO NOT bring a baby into this world that you cannot afford.  Make sure if your going to lay down and get it on you can afford the responsibilities.  I am a firm believer 16 and pregnant is the worst thing that happened to this society.
18.  The following should never be in an email to any coworker, even if you feel that said person is your equal---u, wtf, lol, omg, ttyl, ty, etc. (even etc).
     Come on people, text is not a language yet.  So don't use it in work related emails.  You are capable of typing out entire words, act like it.  Also, lol is NEVER ACCEPTABLE.  Don't even think  about it.  
17.   Stupid is not cute
       Stupid hasn't been cute since bubble gum and 8th grade.  Don't act like you are stupid, unless you are truly stupid and you can't help it.  Then, roll with it. Remember what Animal House taught us--DRUNK AND STUPID IS NO WAY TO GO THROUGH LIFE.
16.  Your mood should never dictate your manners
       No matter how bad you feel, you shouldn't take it out on others.  That's not fair to you, or to them.  It will give them a bad impression of you.  First impressions are everything and you only get one shot at them.  As human we are not afforded the gift of being a total asshole everyday.  Get it together and treat others as you would like to be treated---#goldenrule
15. One of the most powerful tools you have is a thank you card
      The US Postal System is the most under utilized tool we have at our disposal.  Take advantage of it.   Writing a thank you note gives other people an awesome feeling when they open it.  It also shows someone you cared enough to write with a pen, and not two thumbs on a text message.  Also, texting someone "ty" (thank you) lacks some shock value.
14. Value who you are, not who you are not
      So many people are trying to be who they are not when who they are is readily at their disposal.  Try doing that for awhile, you won't disappoint.
13. Be funny, REALLY FUNNY
      Humor is the one tool which gets us through every tough situation.  If you can't be funny, be pretty.  If you can be both do that.  If you can't be either, be a nun.  People get out of the way of nuns.
12. Go on a ton of shitty first dates
       Take it from me, I am a self proclaimed serial dater. I've been on so many good and bad dates I can't even name them all.  I plan to write about them one day when I can get all my funny stories together.  What I've learned is,  you have to go on bad first dates to appreciate good first dates--and hopefully second and third dates.  He/she is out there somewhere, you just have to be willing to search a little.  Remember, your not single--your selective.  Do not settle--marrying someone you do not love will be the most expensive mistake you ever make.
11. Whiten your teeth once in college with Crest White Strips
       One time in college I whitened my teeth.  ONE TIME YOU HEAR.  It hurt to breath in my teeth were so sensitive for two weeks after. However, my smile has been white ever since that day.  It only took one time.  That shit could end global war if we just gave it to our enemies. Nothing makes me happier than a bright white smile.
10.  You can never be over dressed
       The sexiest thing about a man is when he is well dressed. Take heed women, you need to do the same.  If your going out, go out in style.  Make sure every single part of your outfit looks good and rock the shit out of said outfit.  You will never regret looking fly. 
9. You can never be over educated
       Next to being dressed well and being funny the second or third sexiest thing is a man/woman with an education.  Someone who can talk a good game and can back up their thoughts.  No one wants to spend time with someone who is a doughdough bird.  When I say education, I mean any kind of job education.  I don't care if you are a construction worker as long as you can talk about your job and express interest in someone else's profession.
8. It's okay to not know all of the answers
     If you don't know the answer to something the best answer you can give is "Can I look into that and get back to you tomorrow?" Especially at work.  If you don't know an answer don't just make one up.  Google is the most powerful tool the world gave us--people will know when you have no frikkan idea what your talking about.  
7. Hate is like poison
     Hating someone else is the worst thing you can do to yourself.  It's like drinking poison and expecting the person you hate to die.  It's silly.  It will drag you down.  Let go-----The best thing you can do is to let go of the past.  Like I said, hating someone won't hurt them.  Let go and move forward.  It's better to forgive and forget then it is to forgive and hold on to the past. Holding on is just holding you back.
6.  Drinking and Driving is not Cute 
       We all had our moments at 21 when we said we were fine.  But, as you get older you need to start understanding the risks you pose when you drink and get behind the wheel.  Most likely, you won't die but you'll end up killing someone else.  Also, no one will pity you if you get a DUI at 27.
5. Have at least three great loves in your life
     Every time you allow yourself to fall in love you will learn from it.  You will eventually heal from the heartache when it ends, but the lessons you learn you will carry with you for the rest of your life.  Ask Sonny from A Bronx Tale (my favorite movie of all time):

Sonny to C: "You gotta do what your heart tells you to do. Let me tell you somethin' right now. You're only allowed three great women in your lifetime. They come along like the great fighters, every ten years. Rocky Marciano. Sugar Ray Robinson. Joe Louis. Sometimes you get 'em all at once. Me? I had my three when I was 16. That happens. What are you gonna do? That's the way it goes, you know? Tell you right now. See this girl? Maybe this girl, she put wind in your sails. Maybe she's your first great one."

4.  Go REDNECK CRAZY,  but only ONCE.  (Tyler Farr- Redneck Crazy) 
Gonna drive like hell through your neighborhood
Park this Silverado on your front lawn
Crank up a little Hank
Sit on the hood and drank
I’m about to get my pissed off on.

I’m gonna aim my headlights into your bedroom windows
Throw empty beer cans at both of your shadows
I didn’t come here to start a fight
But I’m up for anything tonight
You know you broke the wrong heart, baby
And drove me redneck crazy


     It's okay to go ape shit if you find out he/she is doing you dirty, but recover quickly.  It's okay to go buck ass wild,  as long you can reign it back in and get your wits back about you.  Don't throw empty beer cans though, they won't even cause a dent : ).
3. Fighting is for people under 18
      Women, it is not classy to fight, name call, or threaten other women.  The only people who should get into fights are those who can't be federally prosecuted. Remember, you have too much to lose.
2.  Ages 21-23 are for getting "wasted"
       After that age range, it's not cute anymore. No one is going to pity you---but instead they will talk about how much of a jackass you looked like for years after.  My theory at this age is it's okay to get drunk once a year, and only in AC (ask my friends).  But past that,  2-4 drink max.




1. Everyday is a gift, WAKE UP AND UNWRAP THAT SHIT
       Not everyday is promised, remember that.  Remember to live life and enjoy every second you got on this earth.  
 



Thursday, August 22, 2013

When are we good enough for ourselves?

       So, I've been thinking, when are we just enough, just the way we are, for ourselves? Forget about being good enough for everyone else, why aren't we good enough for ourselves?   My sister wrote a very good blog about the 2 year weight cycle, which I suggest you read. It's truthful and honest and probably every woman in America has dealt with it.  The link is here http://good2greatlife.blogspot.com/2013/08/2-year-weight-cycle.html?m=1 

        But reading it, I began to think about how the weight the scale says helps us define our self worth.  Why?  We are the only person that sees that number, unless your in the doctors office and the skinny beotch nurse announces it out loud as if the waiting room was sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear the number.  Why is that number so important, if we know we are beautiful regardless?  I am pro-healthy--I think everyone should be as fit as they can and as healthy as they can be--but I don't agree with obsessing over a number.  3 little digits have so much power over us--unless your 7 and reading this, then your probably only putting up 2 little digits--if your 26 and reading this and your scale only comes up with 2 digits when you step on it, seek medical attention.



        When is the last time you stood in the mirror in your bra and underwear and said one thing out loud or in your head that you like about yourself?  I bet you are more likely to name the things you dislike about yourself--too fat, too bony, too skinny, shoulders too wide,  my thighs touch (fyi--thighs should touch, if they don't, your a robot), pointy chin, narrow eyes, fat stomach,  little boobs, etc.  We can name 100,000 things that are wrong with us, but probably not one thing we truly embrace and love about our bodies.  I challange you to do that today--get your ass in front of that mirror and say something nice to yourself. 

       Did you know---"Nearly all women (82 percent) think the overall status of women in this country is better than it was 25 years ago"---so, why are we beating ourselves up about our weight?  If we have it so good, and life is so much better for women now,  why is their a defined look of what is and what isn't beautiful?   Every single person is different and beautiful in there own way.  As women, why are we judging each-others beauty---most likely because we don't love ourselves enough to appreciate the looks of others.  Love yourself, or nobody else will.  Guaranteed.

    What I am asking for all of you is be healthy--but more importantly be happy.  Can you be happy eating like a bird and never going out with your friends for the rest of your days---no.  When you die, is anyone going to be talking about how skinny you were?  Probably not--and they will be pissed if at your wake there is carrot and celery sticks only.    Make memories worth having, take chances because you can, tell yourself you're beautiful and believe it, and make others happy---those are all the things you need in this time, I promise you.   You only have ONE SHOT ON THIS EARTH don't waste it obsessing over the 3 little digits down by your feet that your peeking at with one eye shut and squinting, pretending it's lower then it actually says because you didn't put your glasses on.  THE DIGITS DONT MATTER IN THE END.

    

“You can be the most beautiful person in the world and everybody sees light and rainbows when they look at you, but if you yourself don't know it, all of that doesn't even matter. Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. It's not like you have forever, so don't waste any of your seconds, don't throw even one of your moments away.”
C. JoyBell C.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Strengthing Your Weaknesses

So, I pride myself on being a simple woman.  I like simple things, and dislike some simple things just as equally.

Here are some things I love that are simple:

1. Craft Beers
2. Cooking
3. Clean Sheets and a Clean bathtub
4.  Law and Order SVU Marathons

Here are things I dislike that are simple:

1. Putting away clean clothes, clean dishes, and Using the vacuum (why do I ALWAYS get tangled in the cord?)
2.SPELLING ANY WORD THAT IS LONGER THAN 6 LETTERS
3.  When the GPS says "rerouting"....BEOTCH I DID WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO DO, WHY ARE YOU PUNISHING ME!!!!!
4. RUNNING

Today, I want to focus on running because I dislike it so greatly.  You may be asking yourself, why do I hate it?  I hate that it happens.  I am inherently slow at running.  Why? I don't know.  Maybe God wants me to be caught by the Zombies.  I am not 100% on that but the way my sister puts it--you don't have to be fastest, but you can't be the slowest.  So true--I depend on the fact that when the Zombies do come my roommate is a slower runner than me.  God, I hope but he may just surprise me.

I cannot stand running.  I am slow.   I want to be fast.  But, my brain says "Elyse, you are slow. Deal with it"  I was really upset about that for awhile.  Sometimes in a WOD I am the strongest person in class, but the slowest. So, I always take so long to do the running part.  The weight in the WOD may be really light for me and I can bang out reps like nobody's business, then I run.  UGHHHHHHHH.  If it's a segmented workout like:
25 65lb Thursters
 25 Wallballs
400 m run
20 65lb Thursters
20 Wallballs
400m run---
repeat repeat you get the idea (I made this WOD up, it ain't real)

I will kill the beginning, then my slow little legs run at the pace of a  confused rhino.  Rhino's may be fast, I am not sure. I can't think of a slow animal besides a tortoise.  But, I couldn't use tortoise.  It's to expected.  I pride myself on being an innovator-- saying tortoise is not innovation on my part (I can't spell tortoise).

So, today, after I got on the scale (Week 2 of 3 Week Challenge) and said the F word a lot to myself I pulled my shit together and got dressed to go running.   What happened to my scale, did it break overnight?  Possibly.  There is no way it's right because I've been eating like I have been supposed to--mostly :)--for a week.  Not that I didn't lose weight, but I didn't lose 10 lbs in one week.  Which is unrealistic, I know, but I live in a fantasy world if you didn't notice.

So, I ran about 3 1/2 miles in my neighborhood.  I ran a 12 minute 30 second mile, on average. SLOW I TELL YA!! I have made a personal commitment myself to better that.  I plan to TRY and run everyday this week and improve my time.  I'd like to be able to report soon that I've improved that.  If your in Woodbury you may see me running--this is probably what it will look like..


Monday, August 12, 2013

A New Challenge, a New Outlook

So, I won't be sharing any recieps anytime soon : (.  Why you might be asking yourself?  In my mind your saying "BUT WHY ELYSE, WHY!!!!! GOD HELP US".  Maybe not, but that's okay.

With my two best friends I've embarked on a three week long challenge.  The  challenge is hosted by someone named ---Jill Berardelli Vadala
That should link you right to her facebook if you'd like to learn more.

So basically with a couple of suggestions from us she designed a meal plan for each of us.

Pros : ):
1. Love the portion control
2. Love the ability to pre-prep so there is no need to worry when you need a meal
3. Love the simiplicity of it--for now.
4. Money saving---not a lot of flim flam and expensive ingredients.
5. Eat every two hours so your never starving and over indulging.

Cons : (:
1. Looks like after day 5 it will get a little boring, so it's the same exact meal every single day.
2. Little to no seasoning on meats--little to no flavor.
3.  Little room for creativity with your meals--which you know especially is killing me.



I love the farm market--cheap and good vegetables in bulk.  You cannot beat that.  Also, summer is a perfect time to buy and prepare vegetables, so this challenge came at the perfect time.  Check out your local farm market for some fresh new ideas:
Check out my powerade--that was pre-challenge and was used to help my hangover.  For the next three weeks there will also be no alcohol consumption--which is beneficial I think. Also--there is no more powerade or energy drinks allowed.

So, I love preprepping the meals. My food scale is my new BFF--SORRY PEEPS!  I did all my prep work yesterday and was super excited.




Here we have everything perfectly proportioned and ready for the fridge or freezer.  I have 4 ounce bags of chicken, 4 ounce bags of steak,and 1 cup bags of broccoli and mixed peppers.  Meat went into the fridge and the vegetables went into the fridge.  I also made 4 bags of rice that contain one half cup each.

This morning I prepared all of my dinners for Monday-Thursday.  My dinner consists of 4 ounces of chicken, 1 4-6 ounce sweet potato, and 1 cup of broccoli.  The broccoli I will steam for each day.  This morning I roasted a 7 lb chicken to yield all of chicken for the week--which I think was much easier then breaking into my frozen 4 ounce supplies.


Okay, remember I said there was limited seasoning? I wasn't kidding.  This chicken has pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder and garlic powder.  No salt--so it's a little bland.  Thank goodness the  sweetness of the potato breaks up the blandness of the chicken. 

Also remember me saying there is little room for creativity?  This looks like by Thursday I will be more than ready to switch up my protein.  I can also eat fish or steak--so def by Thursday I'll be ready to make both!

This is my lunch!!
Not the best thing I've ever made.  Here we have: 4 ounces of chicken, one cup of mixed peppers, and 1/2 cup of brown rice. Again--little to no seasoning so it was pretty bland.

My snacks aren't bad at all!  Between meals I either have an Almond Milk Protein Shake, grapefruit, or greek yogurt with protein powder. Not too too bad---I am enjoying my shake right now
Yummmmmmm!!


So, stick with me. I will update you throughout the week on how it goes.  Also, tell me what you'd like me to blog about, since it won't really be recipes.  I definitely am going to be sharing my funny dating horror stories with you this week too--stay tuned--I am confessing to being a serial dater.


 

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Clean Sesame Chicken

You didn't think I was going to leave you hanging with all that chicken left over from the stock right?  Don't worry, I didn't.  This recipe can be done with left over chicken, chicken breast, or thighs/bone in breast your roast off in the over (lay chicken flat on a sheet pan, coat with good evvo, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper divided over all.  Roast bone in chicken on 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Let cool, pick off chicken--discard skin and bones).

My sister put this on my facebook wall and I decided to try it with all of my chicken.  The only problem was, and no offense, but it tasted like hot sweet water.  I had to switch that ish up a little bit--no one wants hot wants hot water.

See...NONE OF THAT CHICKEN WILL GO TO WASTE!  A 7lb chicken will produce about 6-8 cups of chicken you can use in other ways.  See, I need to do something different with the chicken.  For awhile I tried to make meals and freeze them and decided--I dislike eating frozen meals very much.  So, I would end up throwing all my meals away.  What do I do now?  I freeze the essentials like tons of stocks and sauces and if I need them they make for a quick meal.  Seriously, try it. My freezer is like a power house.  I have chicken stock, fire roasted tomato sauce with basil, regular tomato sauce,  and pesto.  I can just take them out of the freezer for anything I'd like to make. and BAMMMM CLEAN DINNER SERVED.  You like it when I say bam don't you?


Clean Sesame Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 3-4


Ingredients:
1. 4 cups of cooked chicken
2. 1 cup of broccoli (if you like broccoli)
3. 1 cup of cauliflower (if you like cauliflower)
4.  1/3 cup honey
5. 1/3 cup sesame seeds (toasted)
6. 3 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
This is my preferred brand, but you can find the one you like.  It's a bit pricey--$8.00 mostly.  However, this one bottle has served over 15 dinners.  Also--it's so damn yummy.
7.  3/4 cup chicken stock for chicken
8. 3/4 cup chicken stock for vegetables
9. 1 tbsp salt
10. 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes, or to taste.
11.  3 tbsp soy sauce


 This is really what you will need for your sauce.  The soy sauce is tangy, the honey and sesame oil are sweet.  Match made in heaven.

Directions:
1. Begin making the brown rice according to the package directions. 
Are you asking yourself, why does she have 2 cups of brown rice there?  Well, remember I told you my freezer is a power house?  I will eat 3/4 cups of brown rice, and freeze the rest into little zip locks with 3/4 cups in each.  Power house. Done.
2.Dice vegetables and place in saute pan with 3/4 cup chicken stock.  Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes to steam the vegetables.  




3.  Remove vegetables and set aside.
4. Place remaining chicken stock, Sesame Oil,  Soy Sauce, and honey in the same saute pan and whisk well.  Turn the burner onto Medium High Heat and add the precooked diced or shredded chicken.  Stir coating the chicken in the sauce.
5. Place sesame seeds in a small pot over Medium heat and toast, stirring frequently. WATCH THEM SUCKERS, THEY WILL BURN. It will only take 1-2 minutes.
6. Place vegetables and sesame seeds in the pan with the chicken, stirring well. 

7. Let saute 5 more minutes and add Red Pepper Flakes and Salt to taste.
8.  Place on a plate with 3/4 cup of brown rice, pour 1 tsp Sesame Oil over top to add extra taste---DELICIOUS IDEA.

SERVE
You may never need to order Chinese Take Out again. Unless, like me, you are fiend for Wonton Soup.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Clean Chicken Stock

Once a month I challenge you to make your own stock--any kind--beef, chicken, shrimp, clam, etc.  For the following 5 reasons:

1. It's cheaper
2. It's clean
3. One pot produces almost 10 3 cup containers of stock
4. You can freeze it and it will last about 6-9 months frozen.
5.  Stock is essential to have on hand so stock in the freezer is like saving money for every recipe you need it for. 

Don't believe me--try it and thank me later. Take a couple hours once a month to make a stock and freeze it to have on hand.  You can make as little or as much as you want.  You can even do different size containers for what you might want it for--ie, I have containers which have 3 cups in it and once which has 5 cups.  The 5 cups will be great in the winter for a hearty vegetable soup.

Clean Chicken Stock
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Medium Size Containers Needed: About 10


I'd like to quickly compare the ingredients, price, and quantity of my stock with some of the leading brands.  In this case we will be discussing College Inn, which if I was going to use it would be my preferred. 

My Ingredients:



1. 6-7 lb chicken (on sale at $0.99 a pound---buy chicken when it is on sale)
2. 10 Carrots ( $0.68 for the entire package)
3. 10 Celery Stalks ($0.89 for the entire package)
4.  1 Medium Size White Onion (about $0.20)
5. 4 Bay Leaves (should have this in your pantry at all times---about 20 is $2.80)
6.  Parsley ($ 1.49 on sale--should have this in your pantry at all times anyway)
7. Salt and Pepper (Salt---large container is about $0.99,  Pepper is about $1.49 for this large container)

There Ingredients:
Um...what exactly is Xanthan gum?  I'll look it up for you--I'm so sweet.  Google says it is:

xan·than gum  /ˈzanTHən/ 

Noun: A substance produced by bacterial fermentation or synthetically and used in foods as a gelling agent and thickener.

 Oh Duh...it's a bacterial fermentation process.  Yeah go ahead, eat that.     Now, will it kill you--probably not.  Can you save money and avoid it by making your own--yes.  Don't be lazy now.  We've come too far for you to get lazy on me now.

 My Quantity: 280 fluid ounces or about 35 cups, roughly

There Quantity: 32 ounces--or about 4 cups per container

My Price:  $12.77--I over estimated my price in case you didn't have the spices I suggest in your cabinet.

There Price: $3.49--on sale 

Okay okay mine seems more expensive right?  Now check this out:

My stock per cup:  Costs roughly $0.36 a cup

There stock per cup: Costs roughly $0.87 per cup. 

 You would need to buy almost 9 containers of College Inn at $3.49 a container in order to have as much stock as I have frozen right now--that equals a whopping $31.41.  See where I am headed with this right now?  Plus---you would now have stock on hand for a recipe you might want to make or I suggest and you wouldn't have to remember to buy it at the grocery store. BAMMMM

One last thing--I promise

When you buy their stock what aren't you getting--THE CHICKEN.  Your paying more and not even getting the chicken from which the stock was made.  With my recipe you get the chicken to which you can use throughout the week in at least two different recipes.   I plan to use it to make: Sesame Chicken tonight, and Clean Shrimp Jambalaya Thursday. Again--BAMMM

Okay Okay, now on to what you all have been waiting for:  The recipe 

Ingredients:

1. 6-7 lb chicken
2. 10 Carrots
3. 10 Celery Stalks
4.  1 Medium Size White Onio
5. 4 Bay Leaves
6.  2 tbsp Parsley
7. 1 tbsp Salt
8. 2 tbsp Pepper

Directions:
 1.  Take the inside nasty bag of whatever out of the inside of the chicken--you know the hearts and lungs and all. Throw that shit away--or use it to go fishing I guess.  Crabbies like chicken necks.
2. Place the chicken at the bottom of a HUGE pot---deep and wide like this one:
3.  Cut the tops and bottoms off the carrots and scrub.  Throw on top of the chicken---no NEED to dice them, unless u want to make soup with this stock recipe.
4. Cut the tops and bottoms off the celery and scrub well---throw on top of everything.
5. Cut the onion in half, remove the skin,  and throw on top of everything.

6. Place 4 bay leaves and above listed spices in the pot---NOTICE: If you plan to make soup remember every single bay leaf that goes in must come out before serving--bay leaves are not edible.
7. Fill the pot with water until it is about 6 inches from the top--the entire chicken must be covered.
8.  Put the pot on the stove over high heat and bring the stock to a boil.  This may take about 30 minutes to boil, there is a lot of water.
9.  Once the stock boils reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer for 2 1/2 3- hours.  The chicken usually tells you when it's done by rising to the top of the pot.  After it rises give it at least another half hour after that.
10.  Turn off the heat and pull the chicken out of the pot.   As you can see--mine fell apart. Set this aside for at least an hour and let it cool.  The pull it and save it in bags.  Discard the bones, skin, and fat.
 11.  The vegetables and stock are remaining..so you will need to skim the fat off the top.  The bones in the chicken make fat in the soup, which is natural.  Anything boiled with fat will make fat in the stock. Just skim it off.


12.  So you will need to place a pot in the sink with a strainer over top of it.  Strain out the veggies--they have done their job and unfortunately you don't need them anymore. If you happen to be making sauce today like I am then you can use the carrots and celery in the blender with your tomatoes.  Otherwise, just toss it.  It did it's job so you aren't wasting any money here.  FYI--I NEEDED TWO POTS FOR STRAINING.


Now--this is the hard part. LET IT COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE YOU PUT IT INTO CONTAINERS.  WHY?  Because we talked about this, remember?  If you put a lid on something hot the steam will produce condensation.  The condensation will then drip into your stock making it watery.  So..be patients, wait.  Plan your dinner for tonight using some of your stock, like I did.  Blah blah blah, just wait.