Turkey Pasta Soup from Thanksgiving Leftovers

Welcome!  This holiday season let's share our good fortune with the youngest victims of our homeless.

I had made this lens for The Covenant House charity to help house, feed, and counsel, homeless kids.  I've entered it into the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for Charity). If it was selected for Squidoo's Lens of the Day, this charity would have received $1000. If it was selected as the Winner of the Cookoff, Covenant House would have won $5000.

Although it was not a winner, all purchases made from this lens will still benefit Covenant House.

I hope you enjoy my Turkey Pasta Soup recipe lens --

and if you do, don't be shy, please help spread the word!

Photo Credit: holidays.net

Credit: http://www.covenanthouse.org

Covenant House's Vision to Help Homeless Kids

"Our mission is to fight for the rights of homeless kids to speak for those who have no voice of their own.

There are estimated to be nearly a million homeless kids in cities, towns, and communities across America, and every year over 5,000 of these young people lose their lives to the streets. Their hope and promise is lost forever unless they find someone - like Covenant House - to love and care for them.

Covenant House doesn't forget about all the kids who are no longer here because no one cared - we hold their memory in our hearts while moving forward in our efforts to help all the scared and lonely kids who are still out there, waiting.

Homeless kids have rights.

They have the right to a home

The right to food

The right to guidance and an education

The right to be free from sexual, emotional, or physical abuse, and to be free from exploitation.

These kids have the right to be safe and - most importantly - to be loved."

For more see Convenant House.

When you are carving that Thanksgiving Turkey for Thanksgiving, save EVERYTHING! From the carcass, fat and even everything left in the cooking pan. It will all be be used to make this savory soup.

Mashed potatoes? Gravy? Sure, you can throw it in. SAVE absolutely EVERYTHING! You'll see why below.

The addition of Pasta makes this a Hearty soup

I prefer to do this the same night as Thanksgiving, but you may refrigerate until ready to use. Just make sure you save your roasting pan, too. See below for details.

De-bone turkey carcass by pulling whole meat sections off turkey. Cut into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate.

Break or cut carcass into 2 pieces to fit into pot. Place all bones, and scrapings from roasting pan in crock pot.

Fill 3/4 of pot with water. Set on high temperature for at least 1 hour.

Pour hot water into roasting pan just to cover bottom to deglaze. Scrap and stir until nearly clean. Heat pan if required to get all the goodness loose. (This is where most of the stock flavor will come from.) Pour into crock pot.

Add to pot:

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 teaspoon celery flakes

After at least 1 hour cooking, turn to low temperature. Let cook overnight or at least 10-12 hours. This is just a guideline as I have left it for a day and a half with great results.

Chill until fat has congealed on top. Scrap off top and discard.

Reheat until fully liquid again, then strain. This is your stock base. Return to pot.

Taste and season to your preference if needed.

Add cut turkey pieces, and any leftover veggies you have on hand. If not available, add parboiled fresh vegetables. If neither is available, you may use frozen, but add last to make sure that they are not overcooked.

Add cooked pasta 10 minutes before serving. I prefer small shells or, even better, the spiral shaped fusilli. If available I also like to use the tri-colored as it gives a great dash of color to your soup.

If using frozen veggies, this would also be the time to add them.

If using small vegetables like corn of peas wait 5 more minutes to add.

Leftover gravy? Toss it in!

Leftover mashed potatoes or squash? Throw that in, too.

(Note: I wouldn't add more than 2 cups total as this will thicken the soup surprisingly well.

Unless, of course, you prefer a turkey stew. :D

Cook until all is heated through.

Serve with warmed leftover rolls or biscuits.

Have some leftover Stuffing? Warm and scoop into bowl before ladling in soup. Sounds weird but deliciously good!

Freeze unused portions in single or family sized containers to reheat later.

ENJOY!

I hope you have learned about Convenant House.. .or something new about Soup making.

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