chicken

Kroger's had whole chicken for sale for 88 cents/lb here.These were regular chickens not roasters but a 5 lb fryer is still 5 lb of chicken so I picked up 4 of them.

The largest 2 went in the freezer double wrapped to protect (besides I am weird over possible chicken leaks).I know I will make at least 3 meals out of each one when I roast them. It wouldn't be unusually to end up with 4 meals if I make chicken and dumplings or chicken soup with the carcass.For around $5 per chicken that is around $1.66 per MEAL if I only make 3 meals out of one and $1.25 per MEAL if I make 4.

The other two smaller ones I cut up. I don't do a pretty job when I cut up a chicken but the pieces are recognizable.I ended up with 4 thighs which is 1 meal, 4 legs which will be a second meal,4 breasts which will be another 2 meals and I cut the wings in 3rds so the 2 larger parts will be wings for appetizer night( we eat them as a meal in a restaurant might as well at home) and the tips went in the dutch oven with the fat and backs along with an onion, 2 regular carrots and 2 stalks of celery and water.Popped in the oven to do it's thing to make broth which will convert to soup or dumplings. Figuring what it costs the smaller 2 chickens came to $8.84 with at least 5 meals out of them that is $1.77 per MEAL.Knowing I have the chicken scraps and veggies in the dutch oven cooking( heating up the kitchen again with the oven)I will have 2 more meals ( one with dumplings and one with noddles) out of it.I figure the chicken scraps are free since the cost was figured into the other meals. The jumbo onion cost me $1, the 2 regular carrots costs me 20 cents total and the 2 stalks of celery costs me 30 cents total( yes I actually counted how many stalks and how many carrost there was and divided the cost out).SO for $1.50 I have the beginnings of another 2 meals.

I make my own noodles but I know for around a dollar or so you can buy a bag of noodles..okay it might be $2 now days. Dumplings can be made with a can of biscuits( cheap and cut in fourths) for around $1.20 last time I bought biscuits.


Figuring that as an estimate...for $1.75( or $2.75 for chicken and noodles and $1.95 for chicken dumplings for a meal ...that's a good deal.

storm is rolling in so I must go...

Blessed be