October always seems to be an especially busy time in the world of academia, and I haven't had a lot of time to do much innovating in the kitchen. In times like these, I usually fall back on easy standbys like braised chicken or pan-fried salmon. Another reliable easy meal: the good old Sam's Club rotisserie chicken. Only $5 provides a few days worth of meals. We usually have a few pieces of it for dinner, then make the rest into chicken salad. It's a good deal even if the carcass goes in the garbage, but why not use that, too?
Chicken stock is probably one of the most frequently appearing ingredients on this blog. I use it all the time. I always keep a few cartons of Swanson's on hand, but when I can, I make my own. There are few things easier to make: just toss some chicken and vegetables into a pot, heat, and walk away for a while. The rotisserie chicken works perfectly, but you can also keep bones and wing tips in the freezer to make into stock. For the vegetables, I used the classic onion, carrot, and celery combination, but it's flexible. Scallion and ginger could also be used for the Chinese version, similar to the shrimp stock I've posted before. Stock freezes well. I often use 16-oz. takeout containers.
