Somethings Old, New, Green, Redo!: Homemade Turkey Soup

Friday, November 18, 2016

Homemade Turkey Soup

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Once upon a time, I said I was an awesome cook and yet I seldom write food posts. But, when I think of Fall, I just have to think of a steaming kettle of homemade soup. Fresh turkey legs were in the counter this week and they were huge. So I picked up a package of two with the intention of making soup for our healthy living style.

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If I were going to make a kettle full, I would use a 16 quart large kettle. But for a single turkey leg, I pulled out my trusty 8 quart crock pot. Then I cleaned out the refrigerator of the vegetables we had on hand.

At this stage of my life, I'm a taste cook for many recipes, in other words I don't use a recipe.
I know what I want something to taste like, so I start in my mind and use what I have basically in the house or freezer and go from there. No running to the store ten times a week, not really a GREEN thing to do. I shop when I'm out for other reasons, and not exuding extra carbon emissions on running to the store.

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Crock Pot Homemade Turkey Soup
1 fresh Turkey leg 1-1/2 to 2#
6-8 quarts of water depending on the size of your crockpot
Seasoning (I use 3 tablespoons of dried chives, 2 bay leaves, pepper to taste 2 tsp. salt, 3 Tblsp of salt free-seasoning, fresh or dried garlic to taste)
2 small onions, chopped
4 stalks of celery including tops, chopped

Cook on High for 4 hours or more, until meat begins to separate from the bones. Remove turkey to cool. Remove fat, skin, and bones.

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Soup is a great way to utilize what is in the refrigerator. Other great soup vegetables are tomatoes, zucchini, yellow summer squash, Swiss Chard, mushrooms. Take your pick.

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These large carrots have been particularly sweet and tasty.

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I rough cut the cabbage also using the outer leaves.

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Small head of cabbage and chopped peppers.

Add:
5 large carrots sliced thick
1 1/2 cups of assorted chopped sweet peppers
1/2 small head of cabbage sliced thin
Add chopped parsley or cilantro with vegetables or fresh rosemary or all.
Squeeze juice of one lemon as a non-salt enhancer and also to clarify the soup.

Cook on high for 1 hour. Taste add more seasoning if needed. Add chopped turkey and cook on high for 1-2 more hours.

Hint: if your pot is going to be too full, remove 2 cups of broth. Your vegetables will cook down and you can add the broth back in.

Overnight Method:
Throw everything together and cook on low all day or over night. You can add rice, navy beans, barley or wild rice in the overnight method. I squeeze the juice of one lemon into the soup to help clarify it at the end, when I chop the turkey up and put it back in.

PS Smoked Turkey legs are awesome for bean soups--and healthy choice over ham/pork hocks.

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Healthy Living:fresh vegetables and Turkey!

Enjoy!

Thanks always for visiting.

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or posts. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle