Broth Bag to the Rescue

I hate going to the grocery store with no idea what I'm going to make.  I just wander the discount meat and dry goods until something sparks.

In this case, lamb was way marked down.  I got some chops for that day and a boneless leg of lamb for whenever I have guests.  To go with the chops, I decided on vichyssoise and green beans.

When I got home, I realized that I had not bought any chicken broth.  When I don't plan ahead and haven't looked at the recipe for a while, these things happen.  Darn, and I had eaten chicken the night before and not saved the bones.  I did, however, have a half-filled broth bag in the freezer and vegetable broth is better than just plain water.  I pulled it out and rummaged through for trimmings that would go with the vichyssoise.  The recipe only needs a pint of broth, so I tossed in 2-1/2 cups of water and enough bits to flavor that much, about an equal amount.  That simmered while I played a few online games and took a shower, then it was time to make soup.

I have only been keeping a broth bag for about a year, but it's a great idea.  I fill it with vegetable cuttings and peels whenever I cook, and make a batch of broth when the gallon bag is full.  The taste is never exactly the same, so you can make a recipe slightly different each time.  The project costs nothing and saves quite a bit of money over time.  All around, it's a great idea!