Homemade Chicken & Rice Soup
     submitted by Cathy Lam

Great on a fall weekend afternoon, or whenever everyone in the house has a head cold! Real comfort food.

8 cups cold water
1 or 2 bay leaves
1/2 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic (or more), minced
1-1/2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp. salt, to taste
1/8 tsp. pepper

Bring water to boil in large soup pot, while adding ingredients. When water is boiling, add:

1 whole chicken, cut up and skinned

Return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Then add:

4 carrots, sliced
3/4 cup raw white rice

Return to simmer, stirring once or twice to keep rice from clumping. Simmer, covered for another 45 minutes. Remove and bone chicken pieces; then return to soup.

Serve with crusty french bread.