Are you looking for a great way to avoid preservatives and suspicious ingredients in a vegetable stock? And, would you like creative ways to flavor the stock to your liking. Let me show you how to make your own basic vegetable stock, and you can take it from there. When stored in the freezer or refrigerator, you can easily whip up gourmet soups and sauces in just minutes, and people will think you slaved over the stove for hours. Yes, vegetable stock can be bought in your local grocery store, which is very convenient, but really? What’s in that stuff? Vegetable stock made at home makes a superb and wonderful safe base for your dishes.

Ingredients:

2 onions

5-6 carrots

1 bunch celery

1 leek

Optional: mushrooms, garlic, red onion, tomatoes, or herbs (parsley)

Instructions:

Cut all vegetables into large pieces and place in a stock pot. Fill pot with water, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 2-3 hours or until vegetables have lost their flavor. Strain and discard the vegetables (or save for another purpose). Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Use in soups, sauces, and stews to add that extra flavor that says: Wow!