Saturday and I am in lock down!

I can't leave the house today. I am on call for work, and need to be near my computer if I am needed.

It is a beautiful day and would have been a great day to run. Sigh.

So, when stuck in the house all day, what does one do? Bake and cook of course!

I really am not upset at the prospect of staying in all day. I am unshowered. I am in sweats. I will be staying that way all day. Poor Ben!

I just sent Ben to the grocery store with the list of essentials for my day. So, what's cooking you ask?

I have some northern beans soaking to cook up later. They will be used in lunches for the week.

I will poach a chicken. So easy...rinse a whole chicken. Roughly chop an onion. Peel and chop a couple of carrots. Chop a couple of stalks of celery. It doesn't have to be a perfect dice, just get them all in a pot that you have heated some olive oil. Saute the veggies until translucent. Put your whole chicken in the pot. Cover with cold water. If you have the time, throw in some thyme. (Ha - sorry - could not resist!) I also like a bay leaf or two. No salt, but pepper is good. I like it no sodium.

Cook until done. I say done, because I have never actually timed it. I know when it is done, I can tug on the drumstick and the bone literally slides out!

Let the whole thing cool down. Remove the chicken, then discard the skin and bones and now you have plenty of chicken for the week.

Strain the veggies from the stock, and you now have amazing sodium free chicken stock.

Refrigerate it overnight, and scrape the fat off the top in the morning. You can then freeze it.

For dinner tonight I am making this potato chowder recipe.

151 calories before you add the bacon and cheese garnish! Not bad if you ask me!

And the big task for the day? This chocolate chip cookie recipe. The dough needs to sit for 24-36 hours for the best cookie! It is a little spin off of the New York times Jacque Pepin recipe using brown butter. Oh are my co-workers in trouble come Monday! Ben's too...they had oatmeal raisin and browned butter chocolate chip cookies this week...

I hope your day is productive, and that you can leave the house...

Oh yeah, the picture? Not one of my faves ever taken of me...the exhaustion is taking it's toll...

The sweater is a 4 year old one from Target.

The skirt is a Banana Republic wool pencil skirt.

The shoes Betsey Johnson.

All from Thursday.

I promise, while you have not seen the pictures, there have been no repeats!

Thanks for checking in.

xo

Kel