Well...we made it thru the holiday. Everything is back as it was, everybody went back home and it's time to relax from the long weekend. I hope all of you have time to spend time with family and friends.

There wasn't much left of the turkey...so I had to pick up a couple of turkey drumsticks to make my soup.

A few fresh vegetables and a leftover turkey is all you'll need to create this phenomenal soup — perfect for cold nights and holiday nostalgia.

ingredients

Carcass from a 14- to 16-lb roast turkey, including skin
4 qt water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
6 oz medium dried egg noodles (about 3 1/4 cups)
1 cup frozen peas (from a 10-oz package)
2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey meat (without skin)

preparation

Pull carcass into large pieces. Combine carcass, water, and thyme in a 7- to 10-quart pot and simmer, uncovered, skimming froth, 3 hours. Discard large bones with a slotted spoon or tongs, then pour broth through a large sieve into a large bowl.

If broth measures less than 12 cups, add water. If not, boil, uncovered, in cleaned pot until reduced to 12 cups. If using broth right away, let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard fat. If not using broth right away, cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, before skimming fat (it will be easier to remove when cool or cold).
Heat oil in cleaned and dried pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onions, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Add broth and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add noodles, peas, and turkey and simmer, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.

"That's Good Cooking!"