Perfect for any holiday meal!

I love Thanksgiving Dinner. I’m one of those people who feel like it is not Thanksgiving without all of the traditional elements of the Thanksgiving meal and that’s what I put in this soup. This recipe was first inspired by what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. In remaking this from scratch, I realized that it can be an anytime soup. The flavors and richness make this soup perfect for any kind of holiday or winter celebration. And for next year, if your Thanksgiving plans involve something non-traditional or you just don’t feel like cooking a big meal, this soup can satisfy your nostalgia.

The base of this soup with the turkey, herbs (especially sage), and Thanksgiving vegetables create the taste of the perfect Thanksgiving bite. You can switch out the green beans and add other favorites like corn or brussels sprouts. Some crumbled sausage might be nice or maybe some croutons. This will take the healthy level down, but be yummy nonetheless. If you are making the soup from leftovers, feel free to improvise. Just use the measurements as a guideline for proportions and use your own mashed potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes. Leftover cranberry sauce on top will add a delicious kick.

Thanksgiving Dinner Soup

Makes 3½ quarts soup or 10 servings

• 4 cups Turkey Meat (approx. 2 lb. piece boneless or 2½ lb. piece w/ bone)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 large or 2 small Onions – diced (approx. 3 cups)
• 1 Leek – chopped (approx. 1 cup)
• 3 ribs Celery – diced (approx. 1½ cups)
• 16 baby or 4 full Carrots – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• 8 oz. Mushrooms – sliced
• 2 cups Spinach – chopped
• 1 cup Green Beans – julienned
• 3 cloves Garlic – crushed
• 1/3 Butternut Squash – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 large Russet Potato – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 large Sweet Potato – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• ¼ cup Olive Oil (or Canola)
• 2½ quarts homemade Turkey Stock (see recipes) (can substitute boxed)
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Pepper
• 1 tsp. Curry Powder
• 2 TBS. Fresh Mixed Poultry Herbs (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme) – chopped
• 1 cup Cranberry Sauce or ¼ cup Dried Cranberries and ¼ cup Pecans

Set oven to 350 degrees. Place turkey on a cooking sheet or roasting pan. Salt and pepper the turkey, then roast it until cooked thru, approximately 60 minutes or more depending on the size. • Meanwhile, dice and chop the squash and potatoes, toss with 2TBS. of the olive oil and then lightly salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet or roasting pan. Do the same with the other veggies and garlic, adding the 2 TBS. olive oil and lightly salt and pepper. Put both pans in the oven and roast along with turkey, cooking approximately 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until they are fork tender, but not mushy. Remember not to overcook the veggies and to toss them occasionally so they cook evenly. • Allow the turkey to cool a little. When the turkey is cool enough to touch, remove it from bone and chop into small pieces. Veggies will be ready to go. • Put half of the squash and potatoes and 2 cups of the turkey stock in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Emulsify with hand blender/emulsifier or food processor. Put the rest of the squash and potatoes, as well as the other sheet of veggies in the pot. Add the other 1½ quarts of turkey stock and simmer on low heat. Add the spices, herbs and seasoning. • Check consistency and lightly emulsify with hand blender/emulsifier or food processor if a thicker soup is desired. Be sure not to puree too much.• Add the turkey meat and let simmer for 30 minutes. • Check and adjust seasoning. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. Just remember to check seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve with cranberry sauce or dried cranberries and nuts on top.

Printer Friendly
Recipe Card

Rich tasting yet light soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always consider Cream of Mushroom soup to be a supplement to a meal. A large bowl of mushroom soup by itself is just too many mushrooms for me. I find just a cup before a meal to be perfect. Because cream soups and bisques can sometimes be heavy, I decided to create a Mushroom Bisque that was not thickened with cream or flour. I use potatoes, squash, and cauliflower to thicken my soup. Combined with the mushrooms and a little almond milk, they create a flavorful, earthy soup, that tastes rich yet feels light. It’s an elegant starter for a dinner party, pairing well with red meat, chicken or turkey. My favorite is with an arugula and roasted vegetable salad. Yum!

Feel free to use your favorite mushrooms. I used cremini, baby bella, and button. Also, instead of unsweetened almond milk you can substitute rice milk or soy milk. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored. Regular milk, of course, can be used as well. You can use any combination of potatoes, squash and cauliflower. Four cups worth works well for this recipe.

Mushroom Bisque (dairy free)

Makes 2 quarts soup or 6 – 8 servings

• ¼ cup Olive Oil (or Canola)
• 1 Potato – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• ¼ Butternut Squash – diced (approx. 1 cup)
• 5-6 Cauliflower florets – diced (approx. 1 cup)
• 1 Onion – diced (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 Shallot – finely diced
• 3 cloves Garlic – crushed
• 2 lbs. Mixed Mushrooms (your favorites) – sliced
• Salt and Pepper
• ½ cup good Red Wine, White Wine or Sherry
• 2 cups Unsweetened and Unflavored Almond Milk
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Pepper
• 2 tsp. Mixed Dried Herbs (Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano)
• 2 quarts homemade Vegetable or Chicken Stock (see recipes)(can substitute boxed)
• small bunch of Chives – chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and chop the potato, squash, and cauliflower. Stir them with 2 TBS. of the olive oil and a shake of salt and pepper. Put on a sheet pan and roast in the oven until fork tender, approximately 45 minutes. • Add the other 2 TBS. of olive oil to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Heat pot on a stove burner set to medium-low heat. Dice the onions and shallots and put in the heated pot and stir. Cut the mushrooms into ½” pieces, then thinly slice each of the chunks, adding to the pot and stirring as you go along. Continue to stir the mushrooms for another 15 minutes or so until cooked through. Add a shake of salt and pepper to bring out the flavors of the mushrooms. Finally, add the garlic and stir for another minute until you can smell the garlic cooking. Add the ½ cup of wine or sherry and deglaze the pan. • Remove half of the mushroom and onion mixture from the pot. Add the roasted potatoes, squash, cauliflower, and the almond milk to the pot. Blend the mixture with a hand blender/emulsifier or use a blender or food processor to blend the veggies to a smooth consistency. • Add the chicken or vegetable stock, the reserved mushrooms, salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir and leave on the stove for another 30 minutes. Check and adjust seasoning. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. Just remember to check seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve with chopped chives.

Printer Friendly
Recipe Card