Chicken Soup with Tiny Meatballs

2 pounds stewing chicken

4 cups water

2 1/2 teaspoons basil

1/2 pound sm. onions

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic

5 carrots -- sliced

Parsley and celery leaves ---meatballs--- 1 cup beef -- finely minced

1 egg

1 slice crumbly white bread

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken in water in large saucepan. Add salt, pepper, basil, bay leaf an d garlic. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer slowly for 1/2 hour or until c hicken is tender. Remove chicken from pan. Cool and carefully skim fat from s urface of soup. Bring soup to a boil and add onions, carrots, parsley and cele ry, simmer gently for 10 minutes.

MEATBALLS: Mix beef with egg, bread, salt and pepper. Form into small meatballs, add mea tballs to soup and simmer for 35 minutes. Meanwhile, skim and bone the chicken . Cut meat into small pieces. Garnish the soup with chicken and serve.

busted by sooz