One of the best quotes I saw on the internet says, “You know all those things you’ve always wanted to do? You should go do them.”

I’ve always wanted to make my own chicken stock, but thought that was way too advanced and expensive.

One day I walked into Brent’s house and it smelled AMAZING. I asked what was going on and his mom told me she was making her homemade chicken stock to put in the freezer. She said once you make it from scratch you’ll never buy store bought again.

About a month ago I finally got the courage to make my own chicken stock. I had no idea what I was doing, but stumbled on The Barefoot Contessa’s recipe and it seemed SIMPLE. It is the first recipe of hers that I’ve ever tried even though my mom and I used to watch her show together EVERY Saturday morning on Food Network.

Anyway, I am posting it here for several reasons…
1. If she deletes her website I’ll still be able to find it.
2. This is what I did today and wanted to share my weekend.
3. You need it. (You’re welcome.)

If you’ve never made your own chicken stock this recipe is SO SIMPLE and it is definitely life changing. SERIOUSLY. You won’t buy store bought again. You just put all the ingredients in a huge pot, fill it with water, and walk away. Something I learned to do from the first time was tie my herbs together so they wouldn’t be floating everywhere.

Remember the #chickensoupmeltdown? Thankfully, that didn’t happen again.

Back to the quote from earlier something else I’ve always wanted to do was paint along with Bob Ross.

I AM NOT A PAINTER. I DO NOT PAINT.

But, he is encouraging, soft spoken, and makes you believe you can do ANYTHING.

SO. Yesterday, work was closed for repairs giving me a day off meaning it was a day for Bob and me.

I DID IT.

TRYING NEW THINGS! PUSHING MYSELF!
I mean, let’s be realistic, it’s not going to end up in a museum.

At one point I wanted to give up and wanted to throw it away… but listened to Mandisa’s ‘Unfinished’ to hype myself back up. My painting looks nothing like Bob Ross and despite the mental turmoil (lack of skill… my paint thinner spilled on the canvas… etc…) will paint with him again. I’d been to Michael’s Craft Store every day this week for supplies and there was a sale… OBVIOUSLY I got more than one canvas not realizing until I got home it wasn’t two individual canvases, but 2-TWO PACKS.

Thanks, Bob, for believing in me. The key is painting all the happy little trees over the whole canvas erasing any mistakes…

“There are no mistakes just happy accidents.” 🙂

I made a video that will not be shared here, but this is a screenshot from the near nervous breakdown. Painting is supposed to be relaxing… but do I ever make anything relaxing??

My dad said, “It could be worse. At least we can tell what it is.”

Now for the chicken stock recipe.
Barefoot Contessa: Homemade Chicken Stock <–Link to her website

3 (5-pound) roasting chickens
3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled and halved crosswise
4 celery stalks with leaves, cut into thirds crosswise
4 parsnips, unpeeled and halved crosswise
20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns (not ground)

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16- to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 4 hours, skimming off any foam that comes to the top. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids.

“The thing about being catapulted into a whole new life–or at least, shoved up so hard against someone else’s life that you might as well have your face pressed against their window–is that it forces you to rethink your idea of who you are. Or how you might seem to other people.”
― Jojo Moyes,Me Before You

“You cut yourself off from all sorts of experiences because you tell yourself you are ‘not that sort of person’”
“But, I’m not.”
“How do you know? You’ve done nothing, been nowhere. How do you have the faintest idea what kind of person you are?”
– Jojo Moyes, Me Before You

“Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle.”
– Jojo Moyes, Me Before You