On the Table: Italian Wedding Soup

For dinner tonight, I decided to surprise the hubs and make one of his favorite meals: Italian Wedding Soup. It’s an easy and inexpensive meal that’s both filling and comforting, especially on chilly evenings.

Ingredients

5 cans (14.5 oz) chicken or beef broth
1 lb ground beef
2 lightly beaten eggs
¼ cup crushed Ritz Crackers (I know, right? So good though)
2 tbs grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups thinly sliced Escarole
2¼ cups uncooked acini de pepe or orzo pasta
⅔ cups sliced carrots

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine meat, eggs, cracker crumbs, cheese, basil and seasonings; shape into 3/4 in balls.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the broth to a boiling; stir in Escarole, pasta, carrots and meatballs. Return to boil, then reduce heat to medium.
3. Cook at a slow boil for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. You may add more broth depending upon how thick you like your soup.

I usually serve my Italian Wedding Soup with garlic bread (a nice Caesar salad would also round out the meal quite nicely). Let me know how you like it.