Turkey Tortellini Soup

Sometimes, when I cook a 24 lb. turkey, there's leftovers. Sometimes. This was one of those times. Instead of the same old turkey noodle soup, which I love, I decided to experiment with a few ingredients I had lurking around the fridge and pantry. Time to clean up, tomorrow's a grocery shopping day.


Little known secret...I'm forgetful. If I don't write down ingredients as I go, they're lost for all eternity. Of course, that doesn't mean that I won't lose the list! So I've had to resort to the infamous white board to keep track of my thoughts. I probably need a larger one, but that would require a larger refrigerator, which I'm sure my hubby would not appreciate. Anyway, the white board is too large to fit in my pocket, but large enough that I can see what I've written, without having to wear my glasses. (Foggy glasses while cooking can be a dangerous problem!)

In a large pan, saute 1 diced sweet onion. Then toss in 3 diced celery stalks. For kicks, add 2 minced cloves of garlic. If you like garlic, add a third clove. I did.

When the onions are translucent, add 2 chopped up carrots. Saute for about a minute. Add 1 t. dried thyme, 1 t. sea salt, 3/4 t. ground black pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and 2 t. dried parsley. Stir it up and let it cook for another minute. Remove from heat and dump into large soup pot, or a dutch oven. (My personal favorite.)

Add 1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted, and 3 quarts of chicken broth to the cooked vegetables. This is where I'm supposed to tell you the benefits of making your own turkey broth, but I can't. Not today. You see, after my hubby finished deboning the turkey, he tossed the carcass. Normally, I would've warned him not to do that, but I was busy.

Enjoying this. Honestly, if I had to choose between making my own turkey stock and loving on my granddaughter, well, let's just say, the turkey loses! But it does take second place! If you haven't made turkey stock, you're missing out. But if you have a grandchild, don't miss moments like these. They are what matters.

Back to the soup...I added about 3 cups of turkey meat. I used white because it tends to dry out when reheated. Unless of course, it's in soup! Cover the pot and let simmer for an hour to allow the flavors to blend.



In a separate pot, boil about 8 cups of water. Add a splash of olive oil. To the boiling water, add 2-3 cups of dried cheese tortellini. Cook until al dente, then drain in a colander. Before adding pasta to the soup, mix 1/4 cup water with 2 Tb. arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) and add to soup. Let simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.