Turkey Noodle Soup

Well, winter is officially here. For the first time in 2012, we pulled out our warm coats to brave the chilly air. Last Wednesday, in search of the perfect ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner, I purchased a few too many components, so today, I decided to cook up some soup to help warm things up a bit.

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
1 T evoo
1 T butter
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
3 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
4c low sodium chicken broth
3c chicken stock
Sprigs of thyme and rosemary
1c uncooked pasta
2c shredded cooked turkey breast
s & p

1. After a full day of chopping on Thursday, I opted for the quick method by putting all the veggies in the food processor for a few whirls to dice them up.
2. Heat oil and butter in large pot over medium heat.
3. Saute veggies in oil for about 5 minutes.
4. Add broth, stock and herbs and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add the turkey breast, increase heat, and bring to a boil again.
7. Add pasta and cook according to package directions, about 10 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper and serve with leftover stuffing or dinner rolls.

I'm thankful for a lot...including this meal

This year was my first attempt at Thanksgiving feast glory. Was it glorious? YES. The key? Butter. Lots of butter. Here's what was on the menu:

 

 

• Cider Brined Turkey with Bacon Herb Butter
• Simple Is Best Dressing
• Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes (kept warm in the slow cooker)
• Red Wine Gravy
• Perfect Cranberry Sauce
• Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon
• Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

For the turkey, I used a combination of several recipes. I had a 13lb free range turkey from Minnesota and a Turkey Perfect Herb Brining Kit to work with. I followed the basic instructions for brining, but replaced 1 qt of the water with 1 qt of apple cider. The turkey brined for about 14 hours, and then sat uncovered in the fridge for an hour to dry the skin out a bit.

When the turkey was ready for prime time, the bacon herb butter went under the skin, and I seasoned the turkey with a little salt. Then, it was time to stuff the turkey with aromatics. In went chunks of carrot, celery and onion along with a few lemon wedges, garlic cloves, a couple sprigs of thyme, and rosemary.

For roasting, I followed some tips from Alton Brown for roasting the perfect turkey:

1. Create a tin foil breast plate for the turkey (protects the meat from overcooking). Set aside.
2. Roast for 45 min at 450F.
3. Remove turkey and reduce heat to 350F. Cover turkey breast with foil plate.
4. Roast at 350F until temperature probe reaches about 163F (took about 1hr 50 min for a 13 lb turkey).
5. Remove from oven and rest for 30 min before carving.

Thanks to the brining, butter, and love, the turkey tasted amazing. Delightfully juicy and tender. I will surely be making this turkey again.