This stock is deep, rich, and worth the time — an hour of hands-on work, then it simmers itself into something better than anything from a carton. Toss in those mushroom stems you saved (told you it was one trip, two recipes), plus whatever chicken bones and scraps you've got lying around. Makes 6 quarts, so future dinners are already halfway done.

This sauté is rich, golden, and good on almost anything — steak, pasta, toast, whatever your day calls for. Save the stems when you trim, and use them to make chicken stock from scratch (one trip to the store, two recipes).