My dad was one of 8 kids.  Those 8 all had their own kids, and so you can imagine what the holidays looked like at my grandparent’s house. 

What was a sheep farm when my dad was a child transitioned into a horse farm when I was very young.  I only ever remember there being horses, although my mom assures me we ate plenty of lamb when I was a kid.  They had about 100 acres, I think?  Pastures and fields, outbuildings filled with things we weren’t allowed to touch.  Two ponds, one for swimming and one for fishing although eventually the one for swimming was overtaken by algae, and that was the end of that.  Cats roaming wild, and fresh eggs from the chickens that my granddad kept.  And horses. Horses to ride and pet and look at.  Stalls to muck, and hay to spread, and meals to be given at ungodly hours.  Foals born in the middle of the night.  And a small (too small for 8 kids, really) white farmhouse with blue trim.   A covered front porch with a porch swing.  A dinner bell out front.  A cozy kitchen with smells of turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie.  The men in the living room watching football, and the kids out playing waiting for the bell to call us in to wash our hands and eat.  It was idyllic, a Rockwell painting come to life.  And I loved it.  Even in it, I knew how lucky I was that it was my life.  I was warm, and fed and loved, and in return I loved every single minute of being there.

The day after Thanksgiving was always spent lounging and eating leftovers and watching movies and playing games.  We were never ones for Black Friday shopping.  And my Grandmother would make this soup.  Turkey soup with tortellini.  I looked forward to this soup ALL YEAR LONG.  It’s been years since I’ve had it at this point – I don’t get home for Thanksgiving often anymore, and time passes and makes its changes, as it will do.  The farm isn’t what it used to be. 

But I asked my Grandma for the recipe for the soup so that I could try to make it myself this year, and while it will never hold a candle to hers, it’s a great way to use up leftover turkey, and it really is a delicious soup.  I hope you try it.

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey and Tortellini Soup

• 6 cups of water

• 3 14.5 ounce cans of chicken broth

• 2 10.75 ounce cans of cream of chicken soup

• 2 cups of chopped up leftover turkey (or 2 cups of chopped, cooked turkey or chicken if you’re not making it with leftovers)

• 1 cup chopped onions

• 1 cup sliced carrots

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon dried basil

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 (eight ounce) package of dried cheese tortellini

• 9 ounces broccoli florets

• ½ cup of white wine

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

To Make:

1. In a very large pot (at least 7 quarts) stir together the water, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, cooked turkey (or chicken if using) onions, carrots, and spices.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. 

2.   After 30 minutes have passed, add the tortellini, and simmer for another 15 minutes. 

3. Add the chopped broccoli and white wine and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is cooked through to your liking.

4. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Yum