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Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Soup

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Ingredients
  

  • Turkey bones, carcass, leftover pieces, etc.
  • 2-quarts chicken broth
  • 3 carrots,1 sliced, 2 cut in half
  • 1 onion, ½ half whole, ½ chopped
  • 3 celery stalks,1 ½ cut into large pieces, 1 ½ chopped into smaller pieces
  • 1 or 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tomato, ½ whole, ½ chopped
  • 1 potato, ½ whole, ½ chopped
  • 1 leek, cut into four pieces, optional 
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 or 3 cups leftover turkey meat, diced
  • About 3 cups leftover veggie sides - green beans, Brussel sprouts, squash, roasted potatoes, parsnips, turnips, etc.
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
  • Leftover rolls, optional 

Instructions
 

  • In a large saucepan, place turkey carcass, two quarts of chicken broth, with two halved carrots, 1 1/2 celery stalk, 1/2 onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 leak cut into four pieces, 1 bay leaf, halved tomato, halved potato. 
  • Bring to a boil and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
  • Remove carcass and all large vegetables.
  • Strain soup through a colander lined with a cheese cloth.
  • Discard everything and return the strained broth to the pot.
  • Chop remaining carrot, onion, tomato, potato and celery; add to broth.
  • If you choose, you can also add another bay leaf to the broth.
  • Simmer 20 minutes.
  • Dice all leftover vegetables and turkey meat; add to pot.
  • It is important to add all cooked veggies and meat at the end so they do not dissolve.
  • Simmer another 15 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. 
  • Cover for a few minutes and serve with heated up left over rolls.

Notes

In Step 6, feel free to be liberal with carrots, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and celery; the ingredients, listed in the recipe, is the minimum amounts required for a delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Soup.