Turkey Pasta Soup

I know I have been missing in action for the last few months. My day job which was normally 25 to 30 hours a week had become a 40 + hour per week position. It is now quieting down and is back to a part-time job so I will be posting more often I hope. I have also recruited a photographer. Connor has taken an interest in photography and received a new camera for her birthday in December. The pictures in this post are all taken by her. I am hoping that she will continue to take the photos and I can concentrate on the cooking.

This year I am going to take an idea from my friend Dallas who also has a food blog. You can find her blog here: http://southwesternontariofoodie.blogspot.com/. Last year she took the Foodland Ontario calendar and each month prepared the featured recipe. I have decided to do the same with this years Foodland Ontario calendar and also with my Milk calendar and my Pampered Chef calendar. I also received the new cook book by Laura Calder as a Christmas gift from Connor. The book is organized in the form of menus and I will cook and post complete menus as I prepare them.

To start this month I am sharing the January recipe from the Foodland Ontario calendar. I actually made this last week and it was a hit. We had it for dinner as well as for lunch later in the week. Stay tuned for the Pampered chef recipe of Moroccan Chili and the Milk recipe cheddar broccoli soup. One of the Laura Calder menus will be Squash gnocchi, Apple chicken, Papyrus leeks and Molasses cake.

Ingredients:
1 T vegetable oil
1 Ontario onion, diced
2 each Ontario carrots and parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced Ontario mushrooms
8 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked Ontario turkey
1 cup alphabet pasta or thin noodles, broken up
1/4 t dried thyme
Pinch pepper
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, carrots, parsnips and garlic; cook, stirring until vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms for 1 minute.

Add broth, turkey, pasta, thyme and pepper; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes stir occasionally so pasta doesn't stick to pot. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6