When making a whole chicken or a whole turkey it is a shame to just throw out the bones. If you don’t have the energy to make the broth right away, you can freeze the bones for another time. It’s not a lot of work to make homemade broth, although it takes a few hours, but you can sit and relax while the broth is simmering. Whether it’s chicken or turkey doesn’t make a difference, the process is the same. On this day I made a whole turkey for Betsy’s house for Passover, so I froze the bones and made the broth/ soup a few days later. The broth is simply the bones, skin (some meat can be left on the bones), onions, carrots, celery and seasoning simmering together in water and it creates the broth. All the bones and vegetables will be tossed after the broth is made and you will be left with the fresh broth. Fresh vegetables, meat and some type of grain is usually added to the broth to make the soup.

Ingredients for broth:

1. The bones, skin and some meat of a turkey
2. 1 large onion cut in large chunks
3. 2 carrots cut in large chunks
4. 2 stalks celery cut in large chunks
5. salt, pepper, other seasonings of your choice, in this case I added fresh thyme and fresh rosemary because I had it on hand. If I hadn’t had that, I would have added dry seasonings.

Directions for broth:

1. In a large soup pot add all ingredients and enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil which will take some time and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for approximately 2 or 2 1/2 hours until broth is flavored nicely. Taste it and add seasoning if need be.
2. During this 2 hour period you are free to relax, just check on it once in a while and stir. Once the broth is done, strain so that you are left with just the broth and dispose of the bones and the veggies.

You can now use the broth to make soup or you can freeze the broth for another time. I usually make soup at night after dinner is served and then it is ready for the next day (or for several days as it makes quite a bit!)

Ingredients for soup (be creative as you can use almost anything in soup):

1. The broth that you made above
2. Chicken or turkey meat chopped in bite size pieces
3. Veggies - I always use chopped onions, carrots and celery.
4. Veggies - Other veggies that I use when I have them on hand are kale, zucchini, spinach, cabbage, frozen peas, frozen pearl onions, frozen corn, etc.
5. Grains/starch/beans - I usually use one of the following - rice, noodles, potatoes or beans.
6. Seasoning - I always use salt and pepper and usually use thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and if you like spicy then add some cayenne pepper.

Directions for soup:

1. I usually saute the carrots, celery and onion although you don’t have to.
2. Heat the broth in a large pot. Add all the other ingredients except for the grain, spinach or any frozen veggies. Bring to a boil.
3. Once everything is at a boil, then you can add the grain, and the veggies that do not take as long to cook such as spinach, frozen peas, corn. Continue to cook until the grain is done and taste as you go to see if the broth is seasoned well.