Chicken Meal Planning

As promised, here are some ideas on how to buy chicken in bulk and organize your meals ahead . You can easily incorporate your own ideas and meals that you already make.

What I propose is to check out meat sales and buy four fresh whole chickens if you don’t mind doing some chopping OR:

- a couple of rotisserie chickens

- a tray or two of fresh chicken breasts (I prefer fresh chicken breasts rather than flash frozen - which are often times infused with water and salt)

- a tray or two of legs and thighs

Now, you will need a couple of hours to do some prep and you are set. Like I said, you can purchase pre-cut chicken pieces OR be brave and disjoint a couple of fresh whole chickens yourself. Click here on how to cut up a chicken. Sometimes a whole chicken doesn’t cost any more that two chicken breasts, and you end up with a lot of bonus pieces.

Organizing Your Meals:

1. Roast two chickens in a large black roaster or heavy pot for 1 1/2 -2 hours. For roasting directions go here. You can enjoy one for dinner the same day and use the leftovers to shred or cut into cubes. Divide into servings for your family and freeze in zip lock bags. One – two cups is enough for most recipes. Some examples of meals you can make with your roast chicken pkgs are chicken crepes, enchiladas, pizza, quesadillas, casseroles etc.

2. If you cut up your own chickens, you will have the backbones and breast bones to make soup or stock for a couple of meals. I simply cover the pieces with cold water, add spices, some salt and simmer it for about 1 ½ hours. You can also add chopped onion, celery and carrots for flavor and pour the broth through a strainer at the end. (a guide to use as to spices etc., is Lovella's Chicken Noodle Soup) When finished cooking, remove the meat from the bones and add it to one jar of stock for chicken noodle soup. If you pour hot broth into, say, spaghetti jars with rubber seals, they will re-seal and will keep in the fridge for several weeks. A plain broth can be used in any soup recipe.
Note: when you refrigerate the broth, any fat will float to the top and harden. This is good because it can then be easily removed before re-heating. Also, if the broth gels, it's a sign of a good broth and will disperse when heated.

3. Divide chicken breasts into zip-lock bags to freeze. I find that two chicken breasts are good for most stir fries. Dividing them that way, you can always thaw as many pkgs as needed.
Some examples of how you might use fresh boneless chicken breasts are: Thai Stir fry, fajitas, (I use Club House or Sun Bird seasoning packages) chicken chili, chicken mushroom sauce etc.

4. Next, divide the thighs, drumsticks and wings into one or two pkgs to freeze. These can be used for chicken with anise seed, orange glazed chicken, (which I will post sometime soon) or any sauce or bread coating of your choice, and baked in the oven.

This plan allows for one roast chicken dinner, two or three meals using pre-cooked cubed chicken, a meal or two of soup, two meals using chicken breasts and a meal or two using legs and wings etc. About nine meals for a family of four at the cost of four chickens and whatever you add to them.

How to Cut up a Chicken

I’ve been trying to figure out how to best post some ideas on how to plan chicken meals, so that your meat packages are ready in the freezer and dinner making will be quicker and more economical.
So, as I was planning things out, I realized that it might be good to first do a post on how to cut up a chicken. I know that for some this could be quite daunting, so I also just want to say that knowing how to disjoint a chicken is not mandatory for the post that will follow, but this is just to help you realize that it’s not as terrible as it sounds.

So here we go: (click to enlarge)

A – wash one or two fresh chickens
B – lay chicken on its back and cut off any extra fat, usually found at the opening
C – cut off the tips of the wings
D – pull the leg away from the body and cut between the body and the top of the thigh
E - bend the leg away from the body so that the thigh bone pops out and you can cut between the ball and the socket to separate. Repeat with other thigh
F – cut through the joint between the drumstick and thigh
G – pull the wing away from the body and cut down through the skin and the joint there. Repeat with other wing.
H –Now you have a legless and wingless chicken
I – with the opening to the top, grab the breast side with your left hand and using your knife, put pressure on the inside of the back to bend it and break it.
J - Cut it where it breaks
K – grab the rib end and, with your knife parallel to the backbone, cut through the remainder of the bird, slicing through the ribs and shoulder bones
L – now you should have just the breast attached to a bit of rib ends and the breastbone
M – lay your breast, skin side up on the cutting board and cut an indentation along the right side of the breastbone
N – grab the left side with your left hand, and using pressure on your knife, push down hard along the right side of the breastbone while pulling the left side away
O – flip the leftover piece so you can grab the bone (meatless side) with your left hand and run your knife along the other side of the narrow breastbone.
P – pushing down with your knife, pull the bone upward with your left hand, to separate the meat and bone

If you do two chickens, you will have the backbones, ribs and breastbones for stock, four boneless chicken breasts and 12 other good pieces.

When the meat is cleaned up, let hot water into your sink. Add soap and 1/4 cup Clorox bleach. Using gloves, wash the cutting board, knife, counter and sink area. You can also put the cutting board in the dishwasher. To disinfect your dishcloth, soak it in the sink with hot water and some bleach for 5 -10 min. Rinse well.

Spring

I went out into the yard with my little Sony Cyber-shot and celebrated new life, the Camellia bushes beginning to bloom, pruned rose bushes letting out new growth, a wild profusion of violets and other purple flowers scattered here and there, the lilac bush budding, and even blackberry bushes and peach trees showing promise for the coming summer.

I also went down into our basement and found and old tucked-away school project, dating back to my high school days. For this particular English assignment we were asked to combine some artistic element with a poetry theme of our choice. My theme ended up being, "I Believe in God." The reason I wanted to check out this project now, was to find a specific poem I knew was in there . . . a poem that obviously said something to me as a 16 or 17 year old. It was written by Marcie Hans, probably sometime soon after man landed on the moon.

FUELED

Fueled
By a million
Man-made
wings of fire -
The rocket tore a tunnel
Through the sky -
and everybody cheered.
Fueled
only by a thought from God -
The seedling
Urged its way
Through the thickness of black -
And as it pierced
The heavy ceiling of the soil -
And launched itself
Up into outer space -
No
One
Even
Clapped.

Marcie Hans

When our projects were ready to be handed in, our teacher had us pass them around and we had the chance to comment on each other's work. Being a very shy and quiet kind of girl, this was really out of my comfort zone, but . . . looking back, I think it was one way I could let my peers know what I believed, although, not without some trepidation.

So, at the end of my project there are 39 comments, mostly positive - but varying , from "It's alright if you believe in god!" or "Jesus freak huh" to "A truly moving project" and "This is too good, the best I've seen."

These signed comments bring back images of faces long forgotten. It's been at least 35 years . . . and I wonder where they are today. Have they all had the chance to see God do something in their lives . . . something that has shown them that He is real? I would wish so.

Thank You

I’ve been thinking about you all . . . yes, you my blog friends . . . many of whom I know and many I don’t. I can’t help but be amazed that you would come and visit me. Yes, I’m thrilled . . . because it has given me motivation to organize my thoughts and a reason to write.

The google map on my sidebar shows that most of you come from across Canada and the US. Some of you come from further than that . . . not that the click is any further, but it really has overwhelmed me. Now I know that it all began with submitting recipes to the cooking blog that Lovella invited me to and so there are those who just peek in and I appreciate that too. In all, I guess what I want to say is that I feel like I've given Jesus my five loaves and two fish . . . and I'm watching to see how He will multiply that to feed many. I'm humbled by the big things He can do with our little bits . . . given to Him.

Not that visitors are a sole reason to write or share recipes, but there is just no comparison to journaling for myself, wondering if someone will read my notes when I’m dead, to getting immediate response from people now. Even these past weeks, it did my heart good to be able to take you along on a trip to Indonesia. Those of you who blog, know what I mean.

Sometimes I’ve wondered if I’m just squandering away my time or someone else’s time, for that matter. I hope not . . . and often it is at those times when I meet someone and learn that they were encouraged by something. So, thank you for your written comments, your verbal comments in passing and your emails. Thank you to you who are silent . . . I want you to know that you matter as well. I am grateful for what we can learn together, for what I can learn from you and for whatever tidbits God gives me to share. I find joy in this. . . even if only for a season.

Now . . .

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

Love, Anneliese

From Patty Cake to Cars . . .

. . . to Happy Birthday!

Dear Landon,
Your parcel should be arriving at your door today…
The cake - I couldn’t send. We will enjoy it with the family that is here tonite

as we remember your second Birthday from afar.

We celebrate with joy, seeing what a special little boy you are! No longer a baby, but a boy with a sweet personality all your own… sensitive, caring, thoughtful and wanting to please. You have won your way into our hearts and lives. We thank God for you!

Love, Papa and Mimi

The Untold Story

About 6:30 in the morning, on our last day at there, Paeton came into our room with a handful of books and asked if I’d read him some stories. I had just come out of the shower and, when he saw my wet hair, he thoughtfully added, “After you dry your hair?” Of course I would.
I turned to the mirror, hiding the tears that welled up in my eyes and wondered how I was even going to put any make up on now. The urgency of one more story . . . from a boy who knew we were leaving soon and wanting just one more shared moment. It broke my heart.

Did you know that five-year-old boys are the most fun age to read a story to? The questions, the imaginations and conclusions they come to are funny, uplifting and wise beyond their size. I had forgotten how enjoyable it was and now that I know again, I am reminded of what I have missed.
But as I have pondered this, I believe God, in His ultimate wisdom and compassion has given me a measure of comfort. The comfort of the untold story. Maybe He just gave me a glimpse of what His story is really all about. Jesus said, “ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” ( Matthew 19:29)

Pondering this verse … I hear words of comfort that ring true when I really open my eyes. How else can I explain the peace that passes understanding when I realize that my grandson’s missed story time with me, is a tiny part in allowing many children in the villages of Borneo to hear illustrated Bible stories read to them. My giving up of a daughter to another people, has given me time and opportunity to be a mom to others, through sharing on this blog. And my missing out on day to day family times, has given us multiplied joys when we do get together. I have learned that God is not trying to spoil things for us and that His grace is there to carry us through. In fact, He does more than just carry us through.

So, as my fears and tears have brought me to this place, I hope that in some way this can encourage someone today.