Place chicken or beef with vegetables and seasonings in a stock pot. Add water to cover completely. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low; Cover and simmer for about 2 hours Remove chicken or beef; Remove and discard bay leaf. Drain the broth. Remove bones and skin from the chicken; bones and visible fat from beef. Strain the broth. To easily remove excess fat from broth, refrigerate it for a few hours. The fat will solidify on the surface, making it easy to remove. Shred and and chop chicken or beef into small pieces for soup.