But, I can only go so long before I start missing the kitchen and missing a home-cooked meal. It is really my preference most days anyway. Yesterday, I was trying to figure out what really sounded good and this Italian Wedding Soup was calling my name!
I saw an episode of Giada DeLaurentiis' show on the Food Network channel a few years ago and she was making Italian Wedding Soup. This recipe is not exactly like hers, it is actually a mixture of different recipes. I took what I liked about all of them and made up my own version. For a while, I would let the pasta cook in the soup and not serve it separately. However, the longer the pasta would sit in the soup the soggier and mushier it would get...yuk! So, I started serving it like you would gumbo and rice. We now just dip the amount of cooked pasta we want and then ladle the soup over it. It does add one more step but that step is just basically boiling an extra pot of water. This soup is one of my family's favorite meals. Thank goodness it is a super easy, one-dish, and very hearty meal. It makes enough to have left-overs for several days or to serve a large crowd. I hope it becomes one of your recipes that you make over and over again.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Meatballs
2 lbs. ground sirloin
3/4 cup Saltine cracker crumbs
1/3 cup of water
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
15 baby carrots, chopped fine
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
12 cans of Campbell's Chicken Broth (you can use another brand, I just like the taste of Campbell's)
2 cups of water
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
12 cans of Campbell's Chicken Broth (you can use another brand, I just like the taste of Campbell's)
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
2 cans Great Northern Beans, (drained not rinsed)
1/2 box mini Farfalle Pasta (bowtie pasta)
Bag of Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 egg
Pepper
dash of Salt
1 egg
Pepper
dash of Salt
 |
| Ignore the bread crumbs...wasn't sure if I was going to use them or the crackers. Combine the ingredients for meatballs. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut. Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Take them out of the oven and set aside.  |
In a large, soup pot add the olive oil and the celery, onion, carrots, and garlic. Saute until tender.
Add the chicken broth and water. Stir well.
Add the Italian Seasoning and the Great Northern Beans. (forgot to take a pic of the beans so I got this off of the internet)
In another large saucepot, boil the farfalle pasta until al dente. Be sure not to overcook the pasta. When the soup is ladled over the pasta it will cook a little more. You definitely do not want a soggy pasta.
Add the meatballs to the soup mixture. Cook for about 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, grate the Parmesan cheese.
Add egg, pepper and salt. Whisk together.
Ladle slowly approximately 1/2 - 3/4 cup of soup liquid into the egg/cheese mixture while whisking continually.
Stir the mixture back into the soup slowly.
Rough chop the spinach.
Add the spinach to the soup and turn the heat off.
The spinach will wilt quickly and then you can stir it into the soup.
Put a small amount of the pasta in a bowl and ladle the soup mixture on top.
Top with some grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
ENJOY!
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