1 hen (a large chicken can be used*)
3 medium onions
1 lb fresh baby carrots
fresh celery stalks
2 TB tomato paste
1 1/2 to 2 gallons water
salt & pepper corn
oregano**

Rinse hen inside and out, remove as much fat as possible. Giblets found inside the hen can be added to the soup. Salt the inside of the hen and add half an onion. Add to the pot.

The onions are halfed with tops and bottoms removed. It is not necessary to remove the outer skin, just make sure it's clean and still tightly secured to the onion. Add to the pot along with baby carrots.

When you purchase celery stalks rinse well and cut the bunch into fourths, freeze the remaining batches to use in future soups. (Check the bottom of the stalks, this is where you will find most of the dirt - rinse well.) Add celery to pot.

Add just enough water to cover the hen by half an inch. Add 1 TB salt and 1 TB peppercorn. Soup will be seasoned again after it is finished.

Bring to a boil and then simmer for two hours. Strain soup removing the hen and carrots (Dad doesn't like the celery, so I discard it.) Either mash or slice the carrots and return to the soup, check for additional seasonings.

Allow hen to cool then remove all the meat. It is a good idea to keep the hen and soup separate until you're ready to use it, also as many of you know, Dad doesn't like meat in his chicken soup, so I use the meat in "chicken" salad, tacos, or make a "chicken" pie-- thicken the soup, add the meat, and top with pie crust!

Place the warm soup in the refrigerator overnight, the fat will rise to the top and congeal, this makes it easier to remove the next day. Then break down the soup into smaller containers and freeze. Soup can be frozen for up to 6 months.

* A hen is preferred because of its tough meat. A chicken will break down faster during a slow cook, that is what makes the meat stringy and dry.

** Dad likes a dash or two of oregano