Are you tired of leftovers already? I never tire of leftovers of any kind, and have crowned myself the “Queen of Leftovers”.
I made a Smokey turkey and Butternut Squash Chowder in honor of my Dad. He always made the best chowders! When I had my Goo Goo Gourmet baby food and family meal business, he taught me this great way to use up leftover turkey. I randomly added orzo pasta this time and it was a delicious addition, but totally optional. I also listed the potatoes as optional. I honestly didn’t feel like adding them this time, and that’s why I used the orzo.
FFM Tip: Roast a butternut squash whole for easy prep! Poke squash several times with a sharp knife. Bake on a sheet pan or casserole dish lined with parchment Bake at 425 for 60-80 minutes. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. You can score and scoop out cubes of squash as it releases so easily from the skin!
Dad’s Smokey Turkey Chowder
- Leftover turkey cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 butternut squash roasted and cubed
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 potatoes chopped (optional)
- 1/2 pound orzo pasta (optional)
- 2 cups broth of choice or equivalent Better than Boullion and water
- 4 cups organic milk of choice or combo of 2 cups milk and 2 cups of organic half and half for richer chowder.
- 1/4 Einkorn Flour or flour of choice
- 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbs grass-fed butter
- 1tsp smoked paprika
- 1tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- Fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme
- Optional 1/2 tsp of your favorite seasoning blend. I used a local mushroom farmer’s (The Purple Mushroom) mushroom seasoning blend which has mushrooms, citrus peel, garlic and onion. Trader Joe’s has a similar one as well.
Roast the butternut squash as mentioned in the above tip. Heat oil in a large pot over medium and add onion and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until veggies are softened. Add garlic, squash, turkey, herbs and spices and sauté another 2 minutes. Move veggies to the side a bit and add the butter to melt. Once melted, add the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir to coat the veggies and slowly add broth and milk. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat to simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened. If you are using the orzo pasta, get that cooking while the soup is simmering. You can spoon as much orzo into the soup when you are ready to serve.
Optional toppings: Top the soup with black pepper or red pepper flakes, or Parmigiano Reggiano to taste. Sourdough croutons would be a great addition. Since this is a tribute to my Dad, grated Locatelli Romano would be his choice of topping!
Buon Appetito!
Fresh Foodie Mama~Sara~
Fresh Foodie Mama 