Recipe: Meatball Minestrone (using ground beef and spinach)

MEATBALL MINESTRONE

Note from source: "You can substitute frozen meatballs in this recipe, and cook in your crockpot. This is the only soup that I have ever served that has resulted in my guests' moaning at the table. It's really THAT good! It came from Sunset -- either the magazine or one of their terrific cookbooks -- too many years ago for me to want to count."

1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
4 cans (14 1/2-oz. each) beef broth
1 (1 lb.) can tomatoes
1 (1 lb.) can red kidney beans
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup pasta shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With hands, squeeze as much moisture from spinach as possible. In large bowl combine spinach, beef, crumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls.

Bake on oiled cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350: F. Drain and set aside.

In drippings from meatballs, saute onions, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Stir in broth, tomatoes (break up with a spoon) and their liquid, beans and their liquid, oregano and basil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add carrots and celery. Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Stir in pasta. Cover and simmer until pasta is cooked al dente -- about 10 minutes.

Place meatballs in soup and heat through.

Makes about 14 servings (1-cup each)
Source: Ron in Worcester