There are many ways to use leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving meal. You can even make good use of your leftover mashed potatoes and cranberries.
One of my favorite ways to use the extra turkey is in this Italian Tortellini Turkey Soup. It’s on the lighter side, and you don’t feel like you’re just having leftovers again. It provides a completely different taste than your traditional holiday meal, especially if you add a few slices of garlic toast sprinkled with parmesan cheese to go with the soup.
If you have leftover mashed potatoes, just add some sour cream, a little garlic powder, chives or chopped green onions and you’ll have a new side dish to heat and serve at another meal. If you have leftover cranberries, whether whole or jellied, just dice it up and mix it with a carton of whipped topping, add a few miniature marshmallows and chopped English walnuts or pecans, and you can have a fluffy salad in minutes.
ITALIAN TORTELLINI TURKEY SOUP
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
2 cups cheese tortellini
1 green onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Additional shredded Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top of pot of soup and a little on each individual serving)
In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, bring chicken broth to boiling; add tortellini and cook about 6 minutes over medium heat.
When tortellini is softened, stir in green onion, minced garlic, zucchini, tomatoes and basil leaves for another 5-6 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Then add turkey, along with the garlic salt, salt and pepper and simmer on low heat about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in grated Parmesan cheese on top. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each searing with additional shredded Parmesan cheese. Makes 4-6 servings.
Note: Chicken may be used in place of turkey, with the same wonderful flavor.
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