50 Easy Weeknight Meals & Easy Turkey Soup

Thanksgiving here in Canada was last week, and although we didn't host this year because of all the goings on with the sale/purchase of our house, I was sent home from my mother-in-law's house with plenty of left over Turkey and trimmings that lasted for a few meals.

Since the kids get tired of the typical turkey-after-Thanksgiving-sandwiches pretty fast, I made a simple and easy turkey soup, that will quiet their rumbling tummies and give us some variety.  And also because we love our soups around here. Don't you? Fall and soup just seem to go together.

You can throw this meal together really fast by using your Crockpot/slow-cooker to make the broth and then adding the noodles on at the end. It's one of those meals that needs minimal supervision.

• 2 cups of leftover turkey, including bones
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 whole onion, do not peel
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1-2 carrots

add to broth:

• 1 cup of small noodles (I used, orzo)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. To make your broth: In a large pot place first 7 ingredients, add water and simmer for 2-3 hours.  If using Crockpot, let simmer on high for 5-6 hours. Use as much water as your pot will hold, because this broth is great to freeze and use another time.
2. Once you are ready to make the soup, remove the onion and bay leaves.  With two forks shred the turkey meat from bones as needed, and discard the bones. Mash the carrots and garlic and add back to the "broth".
3. At this point take as much of the "broth" as you need to make the meal for your family and place in a different smaller pot.  I usually take about 6-8 cups of broth for my family of 5. (we like leftovers). Freeze the remainder of the "broth".
4. Now add your noodles and cook for about 8-10 minutes and you are ready to go. Enjoy!

How do you like to use your turkey leftovers? Are you a soup family too? Don't forget to check these other meals that look so yummy.