Like many other families, we had turkey leftover after Thanksgiving.  And really, you can only eat so many turkey sandwiches.  I’ve made soup using leftover turkey before, but this one is just a little different.  It was inspired by this Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup from RecipeGirl which uses both milk and cheddar cheese for a creamy texture.

My first piece of advice is to start with a big pot.  My second piece of advice is to find someone else to chop all the vegetables and keep an eye on the pot.  (Thanks, Dad!)  We just kept throwing things in, and then suddenly the pot was almost full.  But that’s OK, there was plenty of soup for everyone to have a bowl or two, and then I took the rest home.  Soup is a lot more appealing than a dry turkey sandwich for lunch any day!

Southwestern Turkey Soup

2 T olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 shallot, peeled and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
6-7 c. broth
1/4 c. flour
2 c. milk
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1/4 t black pepper
1-2 dashes cayenne pepper
1 (16 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
4 c. chopped turkey
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a large stockpot.  Saute carrots, celery, shallot, and onion for 10 minutes.  Add 6-7 c. broth, cover pot,  and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  In the meantime, mix flour, milk, and spices in a small bowl and whisk well.  Stir mixture into soup, and cook for 5-10 minutes until thickened.  Reduce heat to low, and add spinach, corn, turkey, and cheese.  Cook until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.

-Adapted from RecipeGirl

• Soups and Stews