Cute as a Button Soup

“What’s for dinner?”

“I was thinking about making that soup that Rachael Ray did on the Food Channel the other day.”

“What kinda soup?”

“Don’t remember exactly. Sort of a chicken tortilla soup but with turkey. She chopped up a bunch of tomatillos.”

“We’ve got tomatillos. I bought some yesterday. What else?”

“Don’t remember exactly.”

“Well, think back, Einstein. Visualize what she did and you’ll have it.”

“OK. I’m thinking back. Back. Backkkkkkk. I getting a picture of, of…Jimmy Hendrix and what’s that you’re smoking? Hang on! Too far back! Far out, man.”

“Hey, I’m getting hungry and you’re being an idiot isn’t helping. What’s Rachael doing?”

“She’s going to the fridge and getting out leftovers. It was the Thanksgiving Leftover Show. She’s got turkey and celery and tomatillos and onions and garlic and jalapenos and corn.”

“And?”

“And she’s cooking the onions and garlic in oil and chopping stuff in the food processor and adding turkey stock. It all just dumps together and cooks. Simplicity itself. I can do it!”

“Now you’re cooking! Almost. You’ve got the ingredients and the method. Only one thing missing.”

“What’s that?”

“Rachael Ray is as cute as a button. What are you going to do about that?”

“Will you settle for perky?” I offered hopefully, in my best “perky” imitation.

After a pause, “Don’t forget the salt.”

Cute as a Button Turkey Soup

1-2 lbs roast turkey chunks
8-10 tomatillos, quartered
1 large onion
sufficient quantity of garlic
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 jalapenos
package frozen corn
4 cups turkey stock
cumin
fresh tortillas

Chop the onion and celery, smash the garlic and sauté in oil. Meanwhile, remove the seeds from the jalapenos and pulse them with the tomatillos in a food processor until chopped finely but with some texture. Add to the onions and cook for a few minutes. Combine with stock in a large pot and add the corn. (I also threw in some leftover red bell pepper, half a jar of pimentos and a couple of small potatoes that were lying around. Rachael would appreciate the inventiveness!) Season and simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Serve in large bowls with fresh, warmed tortillas.

Wave your arms around and smile a lot while you prepare this soup and, oh, yeah, don’t forget the salt.