This particular soup reminds me of my first apartment in Seattle. It was a tiny studio in lower Queen Anne. It made the place seem a lot bigger than it was because the Space Needle was literally a mile away, giving me a killer view. That tiny kitchen helped me figure some things outs, with food and (bear with me) life. This soup was the first meal I made there, and even though it looks different than the one I've crafted over the years, the sentiment is still the same.

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
About 6 servings

2.5 pounds chicken drumsticks, about 7 pieces 
4 carrots
3 small potatoes
5 celery stalks with leaves
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 Handful of parsley
4 Sprigs of thyme
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Steps
1. Chop all vegetables and aromatics. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large pot heated to medium high. Dry chicken legs with a paper towel, then add to pot and cook about 7 minutes each side or until it release from the pot. Avoid moving them so that they will brown.

2. Move chicken to the side of the pot and add onion and bay leaves to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

3. Add chopped carrots, potatoes and celery without the leaves to the pot with 4 cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of water. Add in the chopped garlic and thyme.

4. Stir around all ingredients in the pot, scraping any bits that are on the bottom of the pot. Turn heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Adjust heat to keep it at a soft boil for 20 minutes.

5. Take out the chicken drumsticks and shred the meat with two forks, discarding the skin and bones.

6. Add the shredded chicken meat back to the soup and continue boiling for about 5 minutes, depending on desired texture of vegetables.

7. Turn off the heat and take out the bay leaves. Add the chopped parsley and chopped celery leaves and stir. Serve hot with rice or biscuits.