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!

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Sandi