Healthy Cost-Cutter Turkey Soup

Recipe yields 8 - 10 quarts of soup

Ingredients

• Turkey bones, most meat removed
• 2-3 carrots
• 1-3 large onions
• 3-5 stalks celery
• 1-2 bay leaves, optional
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. pepper, more or less to your taste
• 2 tsp. thyme, oregano and any other savory seasonings you like, more or less to taste
• 5-8 chicken broth or bouillon cubes
• 1 lb. frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, green beans - store brand saves money)
• 1 lb. macaroni or noodles, store brand or purchased on sale

Cooking Directions

1. Remove turkey meat from bones to serve as left overs or to use in other recipes, or freeze in portions suitable for your needs.
2. After removing turkey meat from bones, bring a large pot with all ingredients to a boil. Cover and simmer for two or more hours, then let broth sit to cool a bit.
3. Remove and discard bones, bay leaves and vegetables, taking care not to burn yourself. Remove any meat that remains on bones, cut into small pieces and add back to broth after it is strained.

Strain the Turkey Broth

1. Strain turkey broth by pouring through a large colander or strainer and reserve any turkey meat that falls off the bones while simmering.
2. Although there should be little fat in the turkey soup, you can remove fat by cooling the soup and placing it into the freezer for an hour or so, then skimming hardened fat from the top of the broth. Skimming fat with a fat separator saves time and does not require the hour or so in the freezer.
3. Chop up reserved turkey meat and add back into broth along with frozen mixed vegetables. The entire package of vegetables may not be needed, use as much as you like.

Freeze the Turkey Soup

Unless preparing this soup for a crowd, freeze some or all of the soup in freezer bags or containers labeled with the contents and date. You may have quite a bit of turkey soup, so see the ideas for storing food in the freezer without taking up a lot of space.

Reheating and Serving

1. To serve turkey soup, pour defrosted soup into a pot, heat and adjust seasonings to taste.
2. Bring soup to a boil and add noodles or macaroni to the soup. Simmer until pasta done is to desired consistency.
3. Serve soup with bread, crackers, salad, or serve alone as this turkey soup is substantial enough to satisfy most appetites.

Shelley Elmblad - Shelley Elmblad has been writing about personal finance and reviewing money management software since 2005.

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