Turkey Stock and Noodle Soup

                                   

This is a two for one post. First we'll do the turkey stock, then we will do the turkey noodle soup.

For the stock you will need a big pot, leftover turkey bones (and leftover turkey, if any--or reserve a pound or two of turkey meat from the turkey dinner), some onions, celery and carrots ( known as a Mirepoix in French) and some spices. (U-pick, could be garlic, sage, cumin, basil, whatever you like in a stock/soup.)

                                     

                                    

Rough cut the carrots, celery and onions (Be sure to get all the skin off the onion and remove the core) and put in pot. Add turkey bones. Add water to pot until about 80% full. Cover and cook on low boil for about three hours. (Check and stir somewhat frequently) After about two hours add your spices. (Reminder: If you add your salt at the beginning of cooking the stock, the water evaporates, the salt does not, so do not add much salt since the saltiness will intensify as the stock cooks down.) I add the salt towards the end. If you are on a sodium restricted diet, skip the salt.

When time is up, remove the bones. I was able to pull about two pounds of meat off the bones. Reserve the meat. Strain the stock. At this point, your stock is finished. Use what you need and freeze the rest for later.

For soup, remove and reserve your cooked veggies. Get some fresh onions, celery and carrots and chop them into smaller pieces.

                                   

                                    

                                   

                                   

Puree your cooked veggies. Add them to your stock and add your fresh chopped veggies. Add water until the pot is about 75%+/- full. Cook for about an hour and a half. The pureed veggies will homogenize with the stock and the fresh veggies will be tender. I add a squirt of lime juice just before starting to cook the soup. Add the reserved turkey meat and cook for another half hour to an hour. Season to taste.

In a separate pot cook noodles of your choice. (Wide egg noodles work pretty good) In a bowl combine noodles and soup. Enjoy. ( I do not add noodles to the soup and cook them together as I make a big batch and can freeze the soup sans noodles as easily as I can freeze the stock. Cooked noodles do not seem to freeze well. Also, with your basic stock or soup base you can thaw it out later and add other things besides noodles---polish sausage, for example.

One thing though is that this recipe requires about a five hour  total cook time, including the soup, and depending on whether you use electric or gas your utilities cost for this dish will be in the $1.70-$3.00 range. Your vegetables could cost up to eight dollars or so, but you can get up to twenty bowls of soup, or more, out of the recipe, so your overall cost per serving is not that