Homemade stock

I have been meaning to try out Ina's recipe for homemade chicken stock for a while now - if she insists on it, it's probably good - but I just never have a chicken carcass lying around. Does everybody have this problem, or is it just me?

Anyhoo, I made a whole roast chicken last week, so I had the requisite chicken carcass. I decided to try the stock, which ended up being surprisingly easy. I compared two recipes, one by Ina and another from an Italian cookbook, and I threw together the following ingredients in a big pot:

• Chicken carcass
• Roasted venison bones
• Roasted beef bones
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• Large bunch fresh parsley
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 carrot

I boiled it for about three hours, then strained it. I got this lovely orange-ish stock:

I can't wait to use it! I was thinking of making barley salad this weekend. And I am glad I got the best use out of my chicken and bones:

It doesn't look so great now, but trust me, it all smelled amazing. It was so easy, I really think I can make it this winter. But I guess I'll have to start buying more whole chickens to roast - I don't think Dave will mind!