TURKEY CARCASS SOUP (Dated Nov. 26th, 2009)

I love this soup. Make it every year on Thanksgiving day and then share with the neighbors and family. It is chock-full of veggies and love!

1 turkey carcass
water to cover, or almost cover carcass
6 small potatoes, diced
4 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 (15oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup uncooked barley (optional)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. each of dried parsley and basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. each of poultry seasoning and paprika
pinch of dried thyme

Place turkey carcass and water in your largest heaviest pot; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours. Remove carcass from broth, and pick all meat from bones.
Return meat to broth, and add remaining ingredients. Simmer 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.
Yield: 5 quarts, more or less.

COOKS NOTE: I remove all of the skin off of the carcass that is easy to remove to cut down on the amount of fat. It can be refrigerated at this point, if you have room for it, and then the fat skimmed off the top.

"The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!"-from 'A Christmas Story"