Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs (Ingredients and instructions)

• 3 lbs of ground meat (we use 2 lbs beef and 1 lb pork)
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 medium onion or half a really big onion
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cups quick oats
• heels from a loaf of bread – torn into small pieces
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves minced (add more if you love garlic)

• salt and pepper to taste

• preheat oven to 375 deg F, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

• in a large bowl, combine ground meat, eggs, heel pieces, oatmeal, salt and pepper

• put celery stalks and onion into blender and blend until it’s a thick liquid (don’t add water)

• add celery and onion into bowl with rest of ingredients and thoroughly combine with hands until everything is evenly mixed.

• make a lb of small meatballs and place on one lined cookie sheet. With remaining 2 lbs, make bigger meatballs and place on other lined cookie sheet.

• bake smaller meatballs for 30 minutes and larger meatballs for 40 minutes

• take baked meatballs and put on paper towels – blot with more paper towels to remove excess grease

• set small balls aside for the soup and remaining 2 lbs of meatballs to freezer for future use (meatball subs, in spaghetti sauce or another recipe)

**** note I make more than needed since you can get ahead on meal prep for other meals

Making the soup (ingredients and instructions)

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 cup of carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups spinach, chopped
• 2 quarts of chicken broth, homemade preferred but store bought still works
• 1 lbs of your premade small meatballs
• 1 cup cooked pasta of preference (we used Ditallini). Note, don’t add to the soup in the pot!!!

• Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated on soup upon serving

• put olive oil in Dutch oven or soup pot and sauté onions, carrots until softened to your preference

• add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more until fragrant

• add meatballs, spinach and chicken broth – simmer for 20 minutes

• while making soup, cook your pasta and drain

Once soup is done – eat and enjoy.

Note, we did not add pasta to soup. Add pasta to soup that already in the bowl. You don’t want mushy pasta in reheated leftover soup

Finish with Romano or Parmesan cheese. Your choice