Chicken Bouillon Cubes

4 pounds chicken wings and backs

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 leek (white part and 3 inches green), well rinsed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, halved

2 bay leaves

2 large sprigs parsley

1 teaspoon very coarsely ground black pepper

4 quarts water

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large soup pot or kettle and bring to a boil. Skim the foam as it collects on the surface. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours.

2. Strain the stock (you should have 9 to 10 cups). Return the stock to a smaller saucepan and bring it to a boil, skimming off any fat. Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is a deep caramel color, syrupy, and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 2 hours. Turn the heat very low the last 30 minutes and keep a close watch.

3. Pour the reduced stock into an 8-inch square cake pan and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered, until very firm, 8 hours or overnight.

4. Cut the stock into sixteen squares, and put into small snack size baggies. Freeze for future use.

Note: For a quick stock, dissolve 1 cube in 1 cup of water. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

From The New Basics Cookbook by Rosso & Lukins

Fajitas

Serves 6

3 pounds skirt steak or boneless chicken

1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, sliced into half-moon strips

1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Cut steak or chicken across the grain into strips 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long. The slices should be sliced as uniformly as possible for even cooking, and no thicker than 1/8 inch. It may be easier to do this with partially frozen meat.

2. Place the meat in a bowl and pour the marinade over it. Toss so that it covers the meat evenly. Cover and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

3. Add the mushrooms and onions. Mix well, cover and refrigerate 1 hour more.

4. Pour the meat, mushrooms, and onions through a sieve or colander into a bowl, reserving all excess marinade. Put the marinade in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Keep it hot until serving time.

5. Over a high flame or setting, heat a fajita pan (flat, oblong skillet), or a cast-iron frying pan until very hot. Add the olive oil and spread to coat the pan (if your pan is small, divide the mixture and use 2 pans). Add the meat mixture and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until all the meat is cooked and tender. Remove from the heat.

6. Set a hot pad or trivet on the table and place the fajitas pan on it. The meat is customarily wrapped in warm flour tortillas and served with any of the following: rice, refried beans, salsa, fresca (chopped tomato, green chiles, onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper), green or red salsa, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, guacamole or sliced avocado. Serve the hot marinade in a pitcher on the side.

From Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

Fajitas Marinade

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup (Lea & Perrins) Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 large cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and diced

2 tomatoes

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl. You may marinade up to 3 pounds of meat, poultry, or assorted non-leafy vegetables in this mixture.

From Sacramental Magic in a Small Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

Chicken Baked with Rosemary

1 whole chicken, cut up

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons rosemary

5 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken then pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle underside with salt and pepper and less than half the rosemary. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Sprinkle skins with lots of salt and pepper and the remaining rosemary. Dot with butter. Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve with Basmati brown rice.

Adapted from Rosine's Cuisine by Renee M Davi

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Makes About 4 Quarts Soup

1 chicken, left whole

4 1/2 quarts water

5 chicken bouillon cubes

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 1/2 cups of fettucini noodles, broken into 1" lengths (my favorite is garlic-parsley)

In a large pot, bring chicken, water, bouillon cubes, onion, bay leaves, pepper and sugar to a boil. Let boil for about 45 minutes or until chicken falls from bone easily. Remove chicken and set aside. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into a pot large enough to hold all the broth. Remove any grease that has formed on the top. Taste for flavor and add salt if needed.

Bring broth back to a boil. Drop the noodles in the boiling broth, stirring to separate noodles. Reduce heat and keep broth at slow boil, allowing noodles to cook.

Remove chicken from bones and discard bones and skin. Dice into large pieces and add to soup.

From Rosine's Cuisine by Renee M. Davi