Vegetable Stock

This is a great habit to acquire. When you're peeling, chopping and slicing vegetables get a large freezer bag.  Put your peelings, end pieces, etc. into the bag. Place in the freezer.  Each time you cook and have scraps, place them in the bag and refreeze. Then, when you have a few hours at home, make your vegetable stock.  Cool, strain and divide into 16 or 32 oz. portions and freeze.  The next time your recipe calls for vegetable stock, there's no need to buy any with added ingredients.  You have your own which you have control over the amount of salt and seasonings.  

This is a 7 1/4 quart Dutch oven.  I put my vegetable scraps, covered with water, added two bay leaves, about a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of whole peppercorns.

Slowly bring the liquid up to a gentle simmer.  Remember DO NOT STIR! This will make your stock cloudy.  Skim off any scum that rises to the surface.  Let it gently bubble away for an hour or so.

And this is what you have after that hour or so.  Remove from heat and let cool a little bit.  Then strain.

And I ended up with two quarts of gorgeous vegetable stock!