Homemade Vegetable Broth - YUMMY!

This week, I ventured into making "Homemade Vegetable Broth."  I can't take credit for the original recipe.  I did find it off of Pinterest, and I made a few adjustments to fit my taste.  I have included the link to the original recipe at the bottom of this page.

Making the Vegetable Broth wasn't a random idea that I had.  I have actually been planning it for a bit, I just never got around to it.  I even had in my freezer, a freezer bag full of random vegetable pieces (you know the stalk of the broccoli, ends of the onion, tougher part of the celery, etc...) - anytime I would make something with vegetables I would just throw the ends into this bag.  One day, Jordan and I want a compost for our backyard to use on our vegetable garden, until then, I was trying to utilize and save scraps for a broth "one day."

So, when I decided to make my super easy crock pot Roast (Wedge 1-2 onions, peel and chunk up some carrots, chunk up some celery and wedge some red/new potatoes. Put all veggies on bottom of crock pot.  Place 1.5-2lb roast on top.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add 1 can beef broth and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup.  Cook for 8-10 hours), I decided that the broth would be easy to pull together that day as well.  I knew that I would have more veggie peelings and I also knew that I wouldn't have to do much with the roast.  

Side Note: Miss Julia didn't nap after her first feeding (usually we eat, play hard and then nap), but she was literally falling asleep as I was doing her second feeding.  All of that being said, I had a good 2.5+ hours to do all of the above.  Yes, it can be done w/o a sleeping child, but boy it helps when she is out :)

So back to the recipe...

In a stockpot bring 2TB extra virgin olive oil to heat. Add 2 sliced onions, 2 roughly chopped carrots, & 2 ribs of celery roughly chopped. Saute 3-5 minutes until the onions just start to become transparent.

Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and sweat for 30 minutes or until onions caramelize and turn a nice golden brown.  I actually would stir this occasionally...

Add 3 quarts of water (12 cups) and all of the random vegetable pieces/peelings that you have accumulated. Cover lower the heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.  I was stirring this occasionally as well... mainly, I was scraping the bottom of the stockpot to get all of browned pieces to loosen and combine.

Turn off the heat and then add your herbs.  I added some spicy oregano and bay leaves.  AND, for me MOST IMPORTANTLY.... SALT!!  I know, crazy, but the recipe didn't call for any and I tasted and tasted this and I wasn't happy.  I added salt and WOW what a difference.

Once cooled, strain the stock from the vegetables, making sure to compress the vegetables to get every ounce of stock out of them.

I then divided it among some freezer containers.  I was able to get 3 portions of 3 cups each out of this
recipe.

What do you like to do with broth/stock?  Jordan and I use it in soups, risotto, in replace of water when making rice, etc...

Here is the link to the original recipe.
http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2013/03/rich-and-flavorful-homemade-vegetable-broth-recipe/