Turkey Noodle Soup

Thanksgiving. And this year, baby, I have more to be thankful for than I can hold in two hands.

The church dinner was Wednesday evening — 150 people, same as planned, every dish accounted for, not a roll out of place. Deacon Harris's rolls were perfect, as always, golden on top and soft inside, and I told him so and he blushed, which is a sight worth seeing on a seventy-two-year-old deacon. The turkey was my best work — brined for two days, roasted for five hours, resting under foil while I made the gravy from the drippings. The dressing was Mama's. The greens were mine. The mac and cheese was Sister Thompson's and I will admit, reluctantly, that it was excellent.

We fed everyone who came. The families from the neighborhood. The elderly who live alone. The young people who can't afford to go home. A man came in off the street — homeless, I could tell by his shoes — and he stood in the doorway looking uncertain, and I walked over and said, "Come on in, sugar. There's a plate with your name on it." He ate three helpings. He didn't tell me his name and I didn't ask. You don't need a name to be hungry. You just need a table.

Thursday was family Thanksgiving at the Thunderbolt house. Smaller this year — Earl Jr. and Carolyn stayed in Atlanta with the baby (Marcus and Tasha aren't ready for travel with a two-week-old, and who can blame them). Patricia and Wayne and the kids came up from Jacksonville. Denise and Robert. Kayla. Monique. James Carter, who is now part of the furniture and doesn't require an invitation.

I cooked a second turkey — because you don't serve the church turkey to your family, and you don't serve your family's turkey to the church. Two turkeys, two days, two different prayers. The church prayer was gratitude for community. The family prayer was gratitude for Amara, for Earl, for every seat that was full and every seat that wasn't.

Earl said grace. He doesn't usually — that's my job — but this year he asked, and his voice was steady and clear and he said, "Lord, we thank you for this table, for this food, and for the baby girl in Atlanta who carries our name into the future. Amen." That was it. Short. Perfect. Earl.

Now go on and feed somebody.

When you’ve roasted two turkeys in two days — one for the church, one for the family — you end up with more carcass and drippings than any one person should reasonably have, and I consider that a blessing. Friday morning, while the house was still quiet and James Carter was asleep on the couch like he lives here (which, at this point, he does), I pulled out the bones and set a pot going. Turkey Noodle Soup is what happens when a Thanksgiving doesn’t want to end, and after a week like this one, I wasn’t ready to let it.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups turkey or chicken broth (homemade from the carcass if you have it)
3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or chopped
2 cups wide egg noodles, uncooked
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Build the base. Heat oil or butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened — about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more until fragrant.
Add broth and seasoning. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaf, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
Add the turkey. Stir in the shredded turkey. Let it simmer in the broth for about 10 minutes so the flavors come together.
Cook the noodles. Add the egg noodles directly to the pot. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender — about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the brand. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Finish and serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley. Serve with a good roll or a thick slice of bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Noodle Soup — Because Two Turkeys Always Leave Something Beautiful Behind