Tireless Chicken

One of the complaints I read about the movement toward eating local, fresh foods is that it's too expensive for the average person. Setting aside all the nutrition and flavor arguments, if you can make three or four meals out of a single sustainably grown chicken, for example, I think the expense argument takes a real hit.

Our 5 pound range chicken was delicious roasted for a Sunday dinner, then equally yummy cold the next night. We also had enough meat for two days' worth of chicken sandwiches for lunch. We saved the bones in a baggie and, adding onion, carrot, parsley and herbs, made wonderful chicken stock from them, which we used to make this meaty chicken soup with the meat that was left on the bones, fresh greenie beanies, English peas, heirloom carrots and leeks for flavor. If we had added noodles or rice, it probably would have gone even further.

Yes, the original chicken and the veggies were all relatively expensive by comparison with industrially farmed products so we could have made these meals more cheaply. We justify the extra cost with the flavor, wholesomeness and support for local farmers arguments but, really, when you figure two hearty eaters got five meals each from this chicken and a few veggies, it is truly a bargain that even Colonel Sanders can't match.