#1346 - Italian Wedding Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 quarts chicken broth
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)
canola oil
1lb. ground chuck
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 ribs of celery (diced)
2 tsp. dried or fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup Ronzoni acini di pepe pasta
10oz. frozen or 2 cups fresh spinach (thawed, drained and chopped)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet add chicken pieces and a little canola oil--salt and pepper chicken to your taste, then cook and brown chicken--set aside. In a bowl add ground chuck, beaten eggs and bread crumbs (extra salt and pepper if you wish)--mix with your hands, then form 1/2" meatballs (dime sized)
with all of the mixture--set aside. In a large pot add chicken broth--add onion, celery, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper to the broth--stir over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add meatballs one at a time, then add the pasta and chopped spinach--cook and stir until pasta and meatballs are done. Add browned chicken pieces--stir and cook until chicken is warmed. Serve in bowls, and top each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.