Mini Meatball Soup

Ingredients:

2 TBS. olive oil

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 egg beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan/Romano cheese

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

6 cups chicken stock or broth

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups dried pasta (rings,broken fettuccini, or other shape)

1 pound washed fresh spinach,coarsely chopped

** I top the soup with either mozzerella cheese or paramesan**

Directions:

In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, chopped carrots, celery, onions, & bay leaves. Season with salt & pepper. Cover pot & cook veggies 5 - 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the veggies cook, combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, & nutmeg. Uncover your soup pot & add broth & water to the pot. increase heat to high & bring soup to a boil. When soup boils, reduce heat a bit & start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into the pot. You are making meat dumplings that will cook in the broth. When you are done rolling the meat, add pasta to the soup & stir. Cover & simmer soup 10 minutes. When pasta is tender, stir in chopped spinach in batches. When spinach has wilted in the soup, the soup is done & ready to serve. Adjust your seasonings.

The Results:

This soup is also so good. My husband loves it with mozzerella cheese in it. This is really tasty.

* from 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray