Italian Wedding Soup

                                                               

Have you noticed that every time the weather is bad, I post a soup recipe?  They are predicting snow tonight, but I made this for dinner last night.  This is one of those accidental meals.  Two nights ago, I made empanadas for dinner.  When I have worked on that recipe a little more, I will post it.  The reason I even mention the empanadas is because of the meat.  I buy ground beef in huge packages at a warehouse club near my home.  I separate it into two pound packages and repackage it using my Seal a Meal.  I have a large family, so two pounds is good for me.  However, the empanada recipe called for one pound, so I defrosted the meat and now had this extra pound of meat.  That's when I got the idea for Italian Wedding Soup.  It calls for tiny little meatballs, and that's just perfect for a pound of meat.  I don't know why this is called Italian Wedding Soup;  I am Italian and have been to many Italian weddings in my lifetime, but have never had this soup at a wedding. It is a great recipe, everyone loves it and best of all its quick and easy.  It can be prepared ahead and frozen.  The next time I make this, I think I will double the batch and freeze half so I have a spare dinner in the freezer.

Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef, chicken or turkey
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 slices of bread torn apart and soaked in 1/4 cup milk.
1 small onion finely chopped (about half cup)
3 cloves garlic finely chopped or run through a garlic press
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped. (you can substitute dried parsley, but then use 1 1/2     tablespoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Soup

2 quarts chicken stock--I use boxed stock
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped or run through a garlic press
1 package fresh baby spinach or one packaged frozen chopped spinach thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin by making the meatballs.  Mash the bread and milk to a paste and add to meat along with all the other ingredients.  Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated.  Form into very small balls, no larger than an inch.  Place on a large jelly roll pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for about 25 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking heat oil in a large pot and saute onions and garlic until translucent.  Add chicken stock and bring to just below boiling.  Rinse the spinach and add to the broth. Lower heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.  When the meatballs are done, add to the broth and simmer for about ten minutes. If you wish, you can add small cooked pasta like tubetini or ditalini. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.  Add salad and crusty bread for a hearty meal.  Enjoy!

Please feel free to share with a friend, and as always I welcome questions and comments.

Happy Cooking!
Carol

a.k.a. Nonnie