Old-Fashioned Turkey Barley Soup

I made this with leftover chicken and the carcass after roasting a chicken earlier in the day. I'm going to include the original recipe with the variation that I made. Of course, I made it with chicken instead of turkey and it was only 6.5 lbs. I also switched out the peas with corn. It really had a nice bold flavor and is very hearty. I'm freezing half since it makes so much.

The Taste of Home Cookbook, pg 59

Servings: 22 (5 1/2 quarts)

1 leftover turkey carcass (from a 12-lb turkey)

5 quarts water

Soup:

3 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 can (28 oz) stewed tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, shredded

1 cup chopped celery

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed

3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas

3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice

4 chicken bouillon cubes

2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1. Place the turkey carcass and water in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; slowly bring to a boil over low heat. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.

2. Remove carcass and discard. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander. If using immediately, skim fat or refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, then remove fat from surface. Stock may be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 4 to 6 months.

3. For soup, return strained broth to pan. Add the turkey, vegetables, rice, bouillon and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice and vegetables are tender.

Variation: Turkey Barley Soup

Prepare stock as directed in steps 1 and 2 above. For soup, omit stewed tomatoes and rice. Bring stock to a boil; add 1 cup uncooked medium pearl barley. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cook, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until barley and vegetables are tender.