I’m off to Vegas for the week tomorrow morning, bright and early at 6am. (Not so early considering I get up around 4:30 most days to write, but early to be functioning in public.) My attempt yesterday to get things together to pack fell short when I decided to conserve energy by watching soaps. In order to prioritize my time, I created a to-do list in prep for my pending jaunt. Here are my top 5 to-dos before Vegas:
5. Find passport and confirmation number
4. Find cords for netbook, camera, cellphone, iPod and camera-to-netbook
3. Pack clothes & stuff
2. Run vaccuum & dust to be sure we still have white carpet
1. Make stock
Now, lest ye be thinking I’m joking, I’m not. Rummaging through the fridge last night, I realized I had a wealth of veggies that will be no good upon my return (since I know the boys use my being away from the kitchen as an excuse to stuff themselves with all things fast food and fried). I’ve saved a turkey and chicken carcass in the freezer (thanks to my kitchen hero Alton Brown’s suggestion) and have no remaining tubs of frozen stock-sicles in the basement upright.
Homemade stock is really one of the most simple things in the universe to create (besided microwaved peeps). After the first time I made my own, I resolved to only buy stock when in dire straits (Money for Nothin’ and Chicks for free…or was it checks?). There’s such an amazing depth of flavor with your own stock that can’t be replicated, even from the cool septic flip-top stock boxes.
Feeling adventurous, I wanted to shake up the stock-making process. After surfing through a number of sites, I found my idea: roasting the veggies before simmering. (Thanks to the WellFed blog for this idea). I tossed all my fridge findings into the largest pan I (currently) own (because I’ve ordered a huge sheet pan from one of my students at school…finally a fundraiser I can get into…Pampered Chef!): carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes (never tried those before but love them roasted), half a can of baby peas I didn’t finish this week & garlic. Tossed on my favorite herbs including rosemary, sage, thyme, fresh cilantro (again, a new addition…it will go to waste with me gone this week since the boys chop nothing in my absence) pepper mix and a little salt to draw out the moisture from the tomatoes, then gave the whole lot a thorough virgination with olive oil.
Here’s a group shot in their Sunday best:
They’re in the oven now, roasting and toasting their way to carmelized goodness. It’s just starting to smell homey (as the boys would say, “smells like Thanksgiving”. I don’t think so, but it is a lovely aroma), which will give me about an hour to get myself cracking on the other 4 items on my to-do list.