Lightened Up Italian Wedding Soup

Please pay no attention to the fact that my work table is apparently crooked! This Italian Wedding Soup was so easy and so fast! It's a little bit on the "light and brothy" side for Harry, but I made up a batch of calzones to go with it and the meal was hearty and satisfying.

I love Italian Wedding Soup, but I've only ever had it in restaurants. So, I had to turn to the web looking for inspiration. The first recipe I found via Pinterest turned me off - it suggested adding beaten eggs to the finished soup, similar to Hot & Sour or Egg Drop Soup. That definitely didn't ring any bells for me so I kept searching. I actually found this one at Cooksdotcom and it gave me a good starting point.

I had our homemade chicken stock in the fridge but decided to go with canned vegetable broth instead to cut down the fat content. I've made my own vegetable stock but I'm usually money ahead to use the canned stuff (very rare!). I used our own meatball mix that I froze in bulk for this purpose, but you could easily use turkey meatballs to cut down on the fat some more or frozen meatballs of your pleasure. The seasonings in the meatballs were just right to flavor the broth and I only added a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

I'm starting with raw meatballs and borrowing a tip from my friend Pam - she never browns her meatballs before adding them to sauce or soup. After the broth came to a simmer, I gently added the meatballs and remembered to stir gently so I did break them up. They cooked beautifully and I think it helped them release their flavors.

I'm always trying to sneak vegetables into our meals and this soup is no exception. I knew we probably wouldn't eat a whole bunch (head?) of spinach before it went bad and didn't want to go to heavy with it in here. We were in a Kroger that had a salad bar so I just bought enough to tightly fill a one-cup measure. Hey, it only cost 23 cents!

And the rest of the veggies I snuck in - every little bit helps!

Lightened-Up Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
3 cans (15-ish ounces) vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 pound small meatballs
1/2 cup dry orzo (or broken spaghetti)
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh leaf spinach

In a medium saucepan, saute the celery, carrot and onion in olive oil just until softened. Add the vegetable broth and water, then bring it to a simmer.

Gently add the meatballs, then allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium.

Add the orzo, stirring gently and cook until orzo is al dente, about 10 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spinach just before serving.If you're feeling really indulgent, feel free to top the Italian Wedding Soup with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

I want soup...

Shout out to squidonius at sxc.hu

No - I didn't make that soup or take the pic. A quick perusal through my food porn files found no acceptable soup pics. I have one of a sausage and corn chowder that I posted with an article back in the AC days that drew a comment of "ooohhh...what's the purple - is it onion?"

No - it was taken with a point and shoot that was awesome back in the NOLA days but doesn't work well inside. The "purple" was actually sausage. sigh.

Harry & I really do a decent job of keeping the pantry ready for soup any night of the week. It's fast and we honestly eat a bowl of some sort 3 or 4 times a week through the winter. The speed might be the reason I rarely remember to take pictures of soup in progress - especially on nights that Harry is working.

I threw together a pot of tortellini soup the other night - as promised - and my "work" was done in less than 15 minutes. I had a container of Harry's homemade chicken stock in the fridge and I diced the onions and garlic while the sausage was browning. I did a few dishes while the tortellini was cooking and it was time to eat.

That's why I don't understand complaints of "we're just too busy" when parents say they don't have time to cook but they have time to stop at the drive-thru. In the same amount of time you drive-thru and wait for your order, then get it home and it's no longer hot, you could have a fast pot of soup simmering on your stove. /end rant - sorry.

I've seen Facebook posts from all over the country talking about the current deep freeze. My friend Angie in Savannah lost her pepper plants and banana tree last night - even under a blanket.

It won't be much warmer today than it was yesterday - I think tonight will be beef and barley soup!

What is your favorite type of soup to make at home? No rules - it can be a chili-type, a chowder, hearty, creamy, thin? I'll admit soup is something I always want to hear new ideas!

Soups and Chilis and Stews...oh my!

The weather is turning cooler, the nights are frosty and the days have the chill of approaching winter months. For many that signals the end of grill season; the barbecue is stored, patio furniture covered and neatly stacked and the last vestiges of summer going into hibernation. It’s about time!

Four pounds of meat!

Now is when the kitchen really heats up. As the temperature drops day by day and the white crystallized water starts to accumulate, comfort food is needed to help sustain your sanity. This is the time to open your cookbook and let the winter Big Dogs out to play. I am talking about Soups and Chili and Stews oh my.

Some of the goodies that go into Harry's award-winning chili!

There are countless recipes for each easily accessible on the internet, ranging from the simple “Thirty Minute” variety to the more rewarding and tasting “Evening Event.” Or if you feel lucky “Well, do you, cook?” create your own to suit your particular tastes. The is a wide array of protein, produce, and spices to create a dish that will simply make you happy and content, at least until you have to go out and shovel snow.

Debbie and I started the season with Beef Stew, our own design of course, and now this night my never to be famous (because I will not give out the recipe) Chili with a bit of a Cajun twist. Debbie might give you a hint or two about the recipe if you ask nicely. This is one of those evening events. It takes about three hours from prep to table if you work fast but the result is worth every minute. We always try to make enough for a second meal (it is even better the second day) but alas it seems no matter how much we make someone sneaks in and eats it during the night.

The magic drawer is an absolute requirement to cooking from scratch!

I hope you experiment with your own recipes for the Big Dogs of winter and let us know how it turns out, if you have a question I am sure Debbie will be happy to help.

Good Cooking

P.S. Remember to always cook with wine, and sometimes use it in the food.

The Weatherman Says It's Soup Season!

I love autumn - fall - whatever you want to call it! The colors, the cool nights and the beckoning of my soup pot.

Harry does most of the cooking in the summer and we don't put away the grill in the winter. When the weather turns cool, it's my time to take over again.

We eat some form of "bowl food" at least three nights a week from October through June! Some soups are more hearty - I love a great bowl of fish chowder and someday when I'm all grown up, I'll be able to make it as good as my cousin Freddie in New Brunswick. Of course, he does have the advantage of living much closer to the ocean and being able to buy better fish.

Through the winter, we make our own stock - vegetable, chicken, turkey and beef. When we find a great price on whole chickens or I can find some meaty beef bones, it's time to fill the freezer! Having our own stock in the freezer makes it easier to whip up a pot of soup for dinner.

Chowder, for me, almost always includes corn and potatoes and some sort of creaminess. Sometimes I thicken it with a little slurry.

For the beginning of soup season, I have two very simple recipes adapted with store-ingredients. Most of these items should be in your pantry; if not: stock up when the prices are good and you'll be able to quickly make a pot of soup no matter how busy you might be. Both are made with ground Italian hot sausage - one of our favorites - but you can use mild sausage.

Sausage & Corn Chowder and Tortellini Soup

It's not the prettiest picture but this sausage and corn chowder is REALLY yummy!