Italian Wedding Chicken Soup

I'm not one who likes to follow recipes. My right brain constantly tells me to create, create, create! Sunday is my big cooking day since I'm usually sitting at home watching football. So, I decided to take on one of my favorite dishes that I have never made before...Italian Wedding Soup.

There are many different variations of this dish, but my favorite came from a restaurant in Syracuse, NY called Delmonico's. It wasn't just your standard meatball, green, and broth. It was essentially chicken soup and wedding soup combined. I decided this was the direction I wanted to go in...so I did.

Here is my version of Italian Wedding Soup.

Ingredients:

Soup:
-Water
-Chicken parts (breast, thigh)
-3 carrots, chopped
-3 celery sticks, chopped
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 bay leaf
-Kosher salt and pepper to taste
-2 handfuls of baby spinach,

Meatball:
-1 lb ground meat (beef, veal, pork etc...)
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon of Greek seasoning
-1/4 cup of bread crumbs
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-Clove of garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp salt/pepper to taste

Garnish:
-Grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

For the Soup:
1. Fill a stockpot about 3/4 full with water
2. Put the chicken parts, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper in the pot.
3. Bring to boil, then simmer until the chicken is done and vegetables are soft.
-SUGGESTION: Make Meatballs when the soup is nearing completion...Recipe below
4. Take chicken out...shred, and put a good amount back in the pot.
5. Place the spinach and meatballs in the pot, and let the soup heat up before serving.
6. Dish out the Soup into bowls, while placing grated cheese on top of each serving.
7. Enjoy!

For the Meatballs:
1. Combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, minced garlic and salt and pepper in mixing bowl.
2. Mix well with a fork and form into tiny meat balls with your hands...roughly the size of a large marble.
3. Place meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 18 minutes at 350F, or until brown.

So, there you have it. And you certainly can use your own broth and meatball recipe, just don't be afraid to really liven it up!