Today I have a few tips on how to serve up the freshest turkey soup ever! It’s an explosion of flavour and is definitely not your grandmothers turkey soup ;)

This year I’m re-evaluating how I shop, cook, and serve meals to the hubs and myself, and one of my goals is to eat fresher—certainly that can’t be too hard?!

To make myself accountable, I plan to share my cooking adventures in a new category I’m calling “Cooking for Two”. No earth-shattering title here … I’m simply looking for ways to cook for two in more manageable and inspired ways.

So lets start with turkey soup shall we? and that is because my daughter gifted us with a turkey carcass at Christmas ;)

Turkey soup is something I associate with large families and lots of mouths to feed. I also associate it with tired veggies and unidentifiable starches … but wait … I have a solution!! It takes a bit of preparation, but it’s worth it.

First of all, I’m sure everyone knows how to make stock (am I right?) You basically:

• throw the bones in a large stock pot
• fill it 3/4 of the way to the top with water
• to add flavour, add a few chunks of onions, carrots, celery tops, and parsley, etc. (to be discarded when stock is strained)
• place pot on stove
• turn burner on high
• bring to a boil
• reduce heat
• and let simmer for a couple hours
• strain and place stock in fridge, let cool completely, skim off fat
• divide stock into as many large containers as necessary and store in fridge

Meanwhile, using your hands, pick meat off bones. Shred slightly and store in plastic container in refrigerator.

Tips on how to serve the freshest turkey soup ever!

After making the stock, shredding the meat, and putting it all back in the fridge, spend an hour or two washing and preparing enough fresh vegetables to last 3 or 4 days. Place each vegetable in small plastic containers. Try:

• carrots (sliced, diced, julienned … you decide)
• celery (chopped small)
• bean sprouts (washed)
• broccoli (in chunks)
• green onions (sliced)
• small sugar peas
• cauliflower (in chunks)
• etc. etc. etc.

Pre-cook and store in plastic containers your starches of choice. Try:

• wild rice
• couscous
• quinoa
• etc.

When you come home after a busy day and are ready to have a beautiful and fresh bowl of turkey soup (for two) simply place 1/4 to 1/2 cup rice or other starch in each bowl:

In a medium pot:

• place about 4 cups of prepared stock and bring to a boil
• add 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes for flavour (to your taste … check package directions)
• add celery and let boil for 1 more minute
• add bean sprouts, and let cook for another minute
• turn off heat and add as much shredded turkey meat and chopped veggies as you like
• let sit for a few minutes, then pour over rice
• garnish with fresh green onions, or parsley … whatever suits your fancy

Have your choice of these condiments on the table for people to add as desired:

• soy sauce
• grated ginger
• grated lemon zest, etc. etc.

Now you have a delicious bowl of turkey soup minus tough turkey meat, mushy vegetables and exploded rice.

Brilliant! Why has it taken me so many years to figure this out? It’s a real winner winner!

I ended up serving this several times during the week and each meal was a completely different experience. Maybe we’re easy to please, but we didn’t get tired of it.

SO fresh!

Turkey soup at our house will never be the same.