1 Buy one roaster or fryer chicken: Either one will work, but keep in mind that roasters will yield more meat per bird, and are generally higher quality meat than your average fryer. But, fryers are usually much cheaper than roasters per pound and sometimes you can get a buy-one-get-one free deal which is always a plus.

2 Reach inside the cavity and take out the bag of gizzards and livers: Throw this away or cook and give to the cat. Some people also like to eat these, boiled or breaded and fried. You can also use this in the base for chicken stock (below).

3 Put the chicken in a roasting pan: or 13 x 9 baking pan which has 1 tbsp of olive/canola oil spread around the bottom. Surround with chopped potatoes, yellow onion, and squash if desired (makes a nice balanced meal).

4 Bake it in a pre-heated 400F oven until done: About 45 minutes to one hour. You will know the chicken is done when you pierce it with a knife and the juices run clear and there is no bright pink mushy flesh remaining.

5 Carve the chicken: Eat it and have a great meal with your family/roomies/friends.

6 Save the chicken carcass and remove all the extra meat: Set the meat aside on a plate, and put the carcass into a big stockpot. Cover the carcass with water. Add a good amount of salt and pepper (use more salt than you think you need). Add a couple of stalks of celery, roughly chopped, if you like. Boil for several hours—bring to a rapid boil then reduce heat to simmer for about 2-3 hours.

7 Remove the chicken carcass: Now you have delicious, nutritious, fabulously home-made chicken stock. Add potatoes, squash, mushrooms, celery, yellow onion, black-eyed peas, quinoa, etc. and whatever herbs and spices you want to your soup. Toss in the remaining chicken meat you set aside before. You may also add a large can of diced tomatoes if you so desire.

8 Bring to a boil and then simmer until veggies are tender, about 45 minutes: