Vegetable Stock

One of my favorite ways to use up those almost bad veggies sitting in our fridge is making homemade stock. I had saved this recipe from one of my favorite blogs ages ago and then realized that it is next to impossible to find vegetable stock in our grocery stores here. I realized that I could either ship in in via Amazon or I could simply make it  myself. I wait until I have a boatload of veggies that are wilting away in the fridge and then I make a big batch and freeze it. It's a really flexible recipe too-there are certain items that I always add in, but otherwise I use what's sitting in my fridge. I love that I can control the amount of salt that goes into it, and it cuts down on the waste in our kitchen. No packages getting thrown out and I can put all those vegetables to use instead of throwing them out too! That's a win-win in my book.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

slightly adapted from Annie's Eats

2 onions, diced
15 garlic cloves, peeled
2 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 head of cauliflower, cored and chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
5-6 quarts water
Fresh herbs to taste- I usually throw in 4-5 stalks of rosemary, oregano or thyme
3 bay leaves
1 tsp pepper
Any other veggies you need to get rid of- I have added in leeks, green peppers or broccoli in the past and it has always worked.

Pour the olive oil in a large stockpot and add the onion. Cook until translucent, and then add the celery, garlic, and carrots. Cover and cook until softened.

Add in water, cauliflower, tomato, herbs and seasonings and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Strain and pour into storage containers. I freeze anything I'm not going to use within a few days.