Chicken bullion cubes

I make a lot of food that calls for chicken bullion or chicken broth. I used to buy the powdered kind from the store but in my quest to become more self sufficient, save money, and make healthier foods I now make my own. It's a very simple process. I make a large batch because I use the shredded chicken in other recipes and like the convenience of having the shredded chicken on hand. Feel free to reduce it to meet your family's needs. I have been known to make 8 chickens at a time in my big canner. So adjust as you see fit.

Ingredients

4 whole chickens
5 large carrots  cut in half
2 onions cut in half
1 head of garlic cut in half
1 head of celery cut in half
3 or 4 Bay leaves
1 tbs. pepper
1 tbs. cumin
1 tbs. parsley
1 1/3 tbs. oregano
2 tbs. salt

Place all the vegetables and spices on the bottom of a large pot.

 Clean chickens and place them in a large pot. Fill it with water and put to boil. Boil for about 3 hrs. or until chickens are fully cooked and the meat easily comes off of the bone. Turn off the heat and let the chickens cool.

When cool shred  the chicken and place into a separate bowl (freeze and use in a meal of your choice). Strain all the remaining solids off from the liquids. Reserve the liquid (this is going to be your broth) and put it in the fridge over night. In the morning skim any fats that have become solid on the top of the pot and then put your broth to boil again, if your broth is gelatin like, that is great you want that. The gelatin is from the bones boiling and breaking down of the collagen, It's good for you. When it has reduces to about 1/3 of what it was to begin with turn it off and let it cool. Pour into ice trays and freeze. When the broth cubes are frozen, Pop them out and put them into a zip lock bag. When a recipe calls for broth....use your homemade bullion cubes.



Recipe idea's for the shredded chicken,

Chicken salad
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken noodle soup
Chicken taco's
Chicken pot pie
Taquitos


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Authentic Mexican Chorizo

 If I can make it my self  for less then it cost to buy it, then I make it. It really doesn't take that much time. I find you have to budget your time like you budget your money. I have 1 day every month that I do my major cooking  and freezing and I do my baking about once a week.Chorizo (Mexican sausage) is a regular part of my monthly food preparation

First of all see the big thing of ground beef........see the yellow tag....those yellow tags are like Christmas for me, when I see the discount tag I stock up. So that is a $10.00, 5lb. chub of ground meat for $6.30. In this recipe I used only 4 lbs of ground meat and froze the rest for spaghetti later in the week. TIP: my family also likes to use this chorizo in our spaghetti, it's like spicy Italian sausage..well kinda.
 4 lbs. Ground beef, pork, turkey ,lamb (whatever you choose...but if your budgeting choose the beef or pork)
 2 tbs. salt
1 c. ground chili powder.
8 crushed hot dried chili's (or if you get crushed peppers when you order pizza, save those packets for your chorizo, use about 4 pkt.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion finely diced
1/4 cup dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon  sugar
3/4 c. vinegar
 put the meat in a large bowl.
Add all the other ingredients and mix it by hand like you would meatloaf. (if you aren't used to working with chili, I suggest using rubber gloves or your hands will burn. My hands are used to it now so I just dig in.) After it is well mixed cover and put in the fridge for 24 hrs. separate into freezer bags and freeze. Remember freeze it in portions that are suitable for your family's needs. I get about 4 meals out of this recipe. When you cook it you can brown it up and add it to scrambled eggs, into your fried potatoes, or in other recipes. Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your tastes.