Chicken Noodle Soup
Makes: 10-11 cups

Broth:
2 (3 to 3-1/2 lb.) broiler-fryer chickens
cut-up, plus necks and giblets (but omit liver)
9 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 stalks celery, with leaves, cut up
2 medium carrots, chopped coarsely
2 onions, chopped coarsely

Soup:
4 medium carrots, diced
4 medium stalks celery, sliced
2 small onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

2 cups uncooked egg noodles (thin or medium size)

Cooked chicken and broth (from above)

Chopped parsley (optional)

To make broth: Place chicken and remaining ingredients in a pot big enough to hold it all. Heat to boiling. Skim off foam from broth, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until chicken is so tender it falls off the bones. Remove from heat. Cool and remove chicken from broth. Strain broth through a sieve and discard vegetables. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Cut up chicken into bite-size pieces. (Using the giblets in the completed soup is optional). Refrigerate broth and chicken in separate containers overnight. The next day lift off any fat from top of broth.

To make soup: Add enough water to broth to make 9 cups. Heat broth, carrots, celery, onion and bouillon granules to boiling, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender. Stir in noodles and chicken. Simmer, uncovered, until noodles are tender. Sprinkle soup with chopped parsley, if desired.

Note: Incidentally, a pinch of curry powder added to the mixture while it simmers helps to emphasize the chicken flavor without overpowering the soup.