Chicken & Rice (Or Noodle) Soup

Description: I do not remember where I got this recipe but I've been making it for years. Sometimes I use rice and sometimes noodles, depending on the mood I'm in... or what I have in the pantry! :) This recipe makes the ultimate chicken broth... so rich and satisfying. Never had anything but sincere compliments on this soup... which, with a hunk of fresh bread, makes a wonderful supper. Number of servings is a guess-timate.

Ingredients:

• 2 stalks celery, cut in large pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut in large pieces
• 1 large leek, cut in large pieces
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 large onion, peeled
• 9 cups water
• 1 (5 -6 lb) baking hens
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 8 peppercorns
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup long grain rice
• 10 ounces frozen peas
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Wash chicken and remove giblets.
2. Place chicken in large soup kettle.
3. Add water, celery, carrot, leek, parsley, bay leaf, the clove-stuck onion, salt, and peppercorns.
4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2 to 2.5 hours, or until chicken is tender.
5. Remove chicken from the kettle.
6. Strain broth, removing other ingredients, and return broth to kettle.
7. Skin chicken, remove bones, and cut up chicken.
8. To make soup:.
9. Add diced carrots, chopped celery, chopped onions, and rice to broth in kettle; simmer for 10 minutes.
10. Add chicken, peas, salt & pepper to taste; simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is tender.
11. NOTE: When using noodles, I add them to the broth however many minutes it takes to cook them before serving.