Hearty chicken soup from scratch

3.0 tbsp, crumbled Bay Leaf
3.0 tbsp Marjoram, dried
3.0 tbsp Sage, ground
1.0 packet (6 fl oz prepared) Chicken Broth or Bouillon
1.0 head, medium (about 5-3/4" dia) Cabbage, fresh
1.0 head, medium (5-6" dia) Cauliflower, raw
8.0 stalk, large (11"-12" long) Celery, raw
0.25 cup slices (1" dia) Ginger Root
1.0 small Onions, raw
28.0 cup (8 fl oz) Water, tap
0.5 cup Soy Sauce
5.0 cup Zuccini Squash
16.0 oz Baby Carrots
14.0 serving Chicken, fryer (4 lbs)

Wash the chicken. Set in large (12 quart) stock pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a medium high heat. As it heats, skim off the foamy scum and excess fat. Once the scum stops forming, bring to a roiling boil and then turn down to a simmer. Add your aromatics. Even though this recipe lists dried herbs, I like to use fresh. You might need to adjust the amounts if you do go with dried. I keep them tied in a cotton bag or cheesecloth to keep the bits from infiltrating my broth. These include sage, marjoram, and bay leaf. I also included a small onion cut in half or quartered (leave the skin on to give the broth that nice color) and some peeled chunks of ginger. Also included at this stage are the celery and carrots. Cover the pot partially with the lid and simmer for anywhere from 1 hour to an hour and a half, depending on the size of the bird. Don't let the water boil or you'll overcook the chicken. After an hour I usually slice into a thicker part of the breast to make sure it's done and judge my remaining cooking time from that. Once the bird is cooked, take it out and set it aside. It will be falling apart, so be careful. Discard your aromatics and set your carrots and celery aside if you're going to use them in the final soup. Pour the broth through a strainer and into another large pot or bowl before returning the now clear soup back to the stockpot. Flavor the broth to taste with more spices. I like to use ponzu, a citrusy soy sauce, for saltiness and umami. Once you've got the broth tasting right add the rest of your veggies and cook to your preferred level of doneness. If you're using squash as I suggest, you might want to cook your cauliflower and cabbage for a bit first so the squash doesn't fall apart. While the veggies are stewing, separate the chicken meat from the bones and toss the skin as well. You can save the chicken bones in your freezer to add to your next stock, if you desire. Once the veggies are done, put the chicken, carrots, and celery back in and bring up to the temp of the soup. You're ready to serve! Serving Size: 14 GIANT bowls, or 18 to 20 normal servings

Number of Servings: 14.0

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MV_AUSTIN.