Beef Meatball Soup

Meatballs Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 egg
• Flour

Mix the ingredients together using your hands until thoroughly mixed.  Make balls about 1 ½ inches diameter.  Roll in flour lightly.  (You can omit the spinach.)

Heat about 3 TBS oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides.  Do them in batches to be able to roll the meatballs using a slotted spoon until the middle is no longer pink.  Take them out of the pan and set them aside.

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 4 cans beef broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup pasta (garden spiral or tortellini or macaroni)

Using a tablespoon of the used oil, sauté the onion in the same skillet until transparent then transfer to a 4-quart pot.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the pasta and meatballs. Let boil then simmer covered until the vegetables are soft. Heat to boiling again then add about 1 cup pasta. Boil until pasta is done, about 12 minutes.

Add the meatballs and simmer until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.