The Store-Bought Roasted Chicken

I know (at least thanks to Thomas Keller's high-heat roasted chicken) that it is not hard to roast a chicken.

But being a busy, typical American housewife who works 40+ hours a week, I do sometimes enjoy the ease of a Store-Bought Roasted Chicken.

Sue me.

I do have problems with the prices some people charge, but at least at the produce/deli place I go to, they are pretty cheap. I paid $4.50 for the most recent one I purchased.



But where did all the chicken go??

People.... one thing that us Americans have gotten WAY too used to is waste. I've been to stores around here that offer the same sized roasted chicken for eight bucks. EIGHT BUCKS. To me, that is a nice lunch at Roly Poly with a regular sized rolly and some soup and a drink. Which is usually my Friday "treat".

I took the meat off the chicken, diced it up, and some of it will be chicken salad for a chicken salad pita for me to lunch tomorrow. The rest of the chicken will either be used by the hubsy tomorrow night, or I'll throw it in the freezer for a lazy day.

The skin and bones of the chicken went into a freezer bag right away, and they'll be used to make some stock at a later point in time. So for my $4.50.... or even EIGHT BUCKS.... I'll get a couple of meals and about two quarts of homemade chicken stock. I couldn't get two "eat out" meals and two quarts of store-bought stock for that price. And neither is as good.

It makes me sad, to think of people that just throw away those bones. Stock ain't hard. Throw the bones and the veggies that are about to go south in the crock pot, cover with water, add some bay leaves and herbs and pepper, and let it go for 8 hours. The hardest thing is draining it. And it's all so worth it.

Trust me... since I started doing work for my old company and having an Actual Billable Amount For My Work Per Hour, I understand the concept that some things are worth your time to pay others to do. It's the American way. But one thing we have forgotten.... make the most of what you have. Think back to your own mother and how she'd manage to stretch out the turkey from Thanksgiving, or the ham from Easter. It was there... best to USE it and not just toss it in the trash.

/end ranty rant