Chicken Soup

Life after our Herbs de Provence chicken dinner - home made chicken soup. The carcass of the chicken, some left over chicken jus, two stalks of celery, some sliced carrots along with spices and VOILA! Glorious, comforting home made chicken soup.
Some soups you just taste and season as you go along - no real formula. I think chicken soup is one of those soups.

1. Add the carcass and any legs or wings to a stock pot.
2. Cover with water.
3. Place on high heat and when it starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot.
4. Simmer for at least two hours.
5. Using a spider lift out the carcass and bones - or strain it over another pot with a colander.
6. Pick through the carcass - discard bones and save any good meat.
7. Skim the fat from the stock with a spoon or ladle.
8. Add the meat back into the stock along with any other left over meat.
9. Also add in that wonderful chicken jus or gravy you had with your chicken dinner.
10. Next, add some finely chopped celery (and onion if you want) and some peeled and sliced carrots.
11. Begin to season the soup with salt and pepper, some onion powder and granulated garlic and dried parsley flakes.
12. Cook for about 1/2 hour to let the vegetables cook and flavors meld.
13. At this point you could serve it, or, do what I do - cool down the soup. Then refrigerate over night.
14. The next day pull off any remaining fat that has solidified and reheat the soup and adjust the seasonings.