Vegetable broth

One of the most obvious useful items in any kitchen is broth. "No problem", I told myself. You can find canned vegetable broth in any store! ...until I read the labels. Maybe they're out there, but not in my store - they were all filled with additives including high fructose corn syrup and MSG. So, I set out to make my own.

It's really very simple. We already save chicken bones in a large Ziploc in the freezer to make chicken broth. I started a new bag to toss veggie scraps into. All veggies get washed before I peel them. Peelings and other scraps go into the bag. When I want to make broth, I empty it into a large pot - no need to even thaw it first. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for.....awhile! I usually go a couple of hours at least. It can be ready a lot sooner, but I like the added richness of slow simmering. Add salt and seasonings to your taste. Be careful with pre mixed seasonings, which often contain added ingredients like sugar and MSG. Ick.

Strain and it's ready to use. You can add more water if needed. You won't believe the taste difference, even watered down!

We like to freeze it into ice cube trays. Once frozen, empty them into another container. I don't like to use plastics because of the BPA. For more info on that, you can Google it but I wrote about it in this entry of my other blog. I still don't know what the facts are on Ziploc bags, so I use them because I have yet to find a good alternative. Glass jars are a decent alternative to the larger containers. Then when we're cooking, we can grab one or more cubes to toss in with the dish.

There is so much you can do with broth, besides making soup or stews. It's really great to have it close at hand!