What to do with all that turkey

Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup
Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving. Growing up, Turkey Noodle Soup was the go to remedy for anything that ailed you. My mother would use the leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make a mixture of both broth and meat that she would then freeze, making sure that we always had the start to soup, year round. Below is my take on her recipe, including her instructions on how she makes her stock.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mom's turkey stock

  • 6 stalks celery, diced

  • 5 carrots, diced

  • 1 tsp onion powder (or 1/2 small onion chopped)

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 3 tbs of fresh parsley, chopped

  • 64 oz chicken broth

  • 6 oz extra wide egg noodles

  • salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

  1. In a slow cooker combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT the egg noodles.

  2. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

  3. One hour before serving add the egg noodles, give the soup a good stir and then cover and let it cook on low. After 1/2 hour check the soup, you may need to add more chicken broth (those noodles really suck it up!).

  4. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! This makes 10 servings... leftovers for plenty of nights!

For the stock: (according to mom) Take the leftover turkey, with any extra meat added in (she says that it can even have stuffing still in the turkey cavity, it just adds more flavor) and put it in a large pot. Fill the pot with water, up to about half way up the turkey. Cook it on medium heat until it begins to simmer. Turn down the heat and let it just simmer. As it cooks, pick out the bones and skin and any flotsam or jetsam that rises to the top. Mom claims just to keep doing this, constantly cooking it down, for several hours. After you are done, let it cool and then pour it into freezer safe containers to save for later.

Tara Nash