Italian Wedding Soup

Yield: 6 (2) cup servings

Ingredients

For Meatballs:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 # ground beef (80%lean)

1/2 # ground pork

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

1/3 cup fresh, roughly chopped

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper 

-In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients, and using your Hands mix to combine, but don't overwork the meat.

-Roll the meat into 1-inch balls ( you could yield about 30 plus)

-Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch over over medium heat.

-Brown the meatballs in batches - the meatballs will finish cooking in the soup. Remove the meatballs and set aside

Making the Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup carrots, diced

1 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

9 cups Chicken Broth (homemade or store bought)

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (store bought or make your own)

Salt/Pepper

3/4 cup dry Acini De Pepe Pasta ( you can also use Orzo)

8 ounce fresh baby spinach

Stove Top Method

-Using the same soup pot you cooked the meatballs in, add the diced onions, celery and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened

-Add the minced garlic, and sauté for about a minute

-Add the chicken stock, Italian seasoning and salt and ground fresh black pepper.

-Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium; add the meatballs and pasta, and bring to a boil again, lower the heat and let simmer for10-15 minutes.

-Stir in the spinach, and cook until the spinach is wilted- simmer, for about 5-10 minutes more

If you are going to freeze small batches of the soup, divide the soup between 6 (2-cup) containers, and let cool completely- than place a piece of plastic on the surface of the soup, cover the container, and put in the freezer