Turkey Noodle Soup

Cleaning the meat off the turkey bones if a daunting task that seems to take forever.  So instead of standing at the counter trying to get all the meat off, why not make some great tasting Turkey Soup.   We often make homemade bread with this meal for the best tasting meal.

Ingredients

1 turkey carcass from a 12-pound or larger turkey
4 quarts water
1 onion, diced
2 to 3 large carrots, chopped fine
2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
4 oz or 5 cups egg noodles, uncooked
Cut up turkey meat if you want more than what fell off the bones
Salt and pepper

Directions

Place the turkey carcass into a large pot. If it does not fit, you may need to cut the carcass up into pieces.  Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the turkey bones for 1 to 2 hours. The longer you simmer the bones, the better the soup will taste.  You'll want the meat falling off the bones. Remove the turkey carcass. At this point, you may want to remove the turkey meat from the broth and allow it to cool, so you can cut it up into smaller pieces. Then strain the liquid to make sure all the bones are removed from the soup. 

Measure 8 cups of broth out for your soup.  Place the rest of the broth in the refrigerator to use for other dishes.  Pour the 8 cups broth back into the pot.

Add the chopped up turkey meat, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir in the egg noodles. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve and enjoy!