Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for March 01, 2014

So, why does Arlo cook girl food?

That is a heckuva big tub of goo

Oh, for heaven’s sake, you can empty the fridge into that pot for the most wonderful meal…veggies, noodles, meat…I’m thinking it’s soup for dinner for me!

Or throw some ingredients into the crock pot before you start working on the stock.

Stock is the foundation of real cooking. I have yet to find a can, box, or cube that wasn’t weak, overpriced swill. I grant you, beef stock is hard to get right, but chicken and pork are dead easy with a little knowledge and care. It’s always in my freezer. It changes everything when it comes to rice, beans, and all soups. It’s also economical, both in the cost of the stock and in using the otherwise trashed chicken carcass and pork bones. And I guarantee you the Heart-Stopper Special at Chili’s doesn’t contain the real thing. (I’m male, 6’3", and a career cop, and I do all the cooking in this house……. including the “girl food.”)

They must be having quite a large party to feed with that huge pot on the stove!

Guess you’re just going to have to take stock of the situation…

I’m female. I cook 2 or more meals 6 days a week for several people. Don’t have time to make stock.

I have problems with any recipe that includes the instructions “remove and discard” unless it is like a ham bone or something else I would otherwise throw away. Even tossing bay leaves and spice satchels bugs me.

This explains the stock market.

Must be going to add a whole cow to that pot….