Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup -

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Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup

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By Dolores Kostelni

Posted July 23rd, 2007

This article is reprinted with permission from THe Potluck Cookbook: Classic Recipes for Any Occasion, by Dolores Kostelni, (2005, Amazon Remainders Account)

THe Potluck Cookbook: Classic Recipes for Any Occasion

Servings:	9
Author Notes:	A hearty soup featuring smaller-than-usual meatballs braised in a tomato-based broth, makes a satisfying, warming dish at soup potlucks. TIP: All slow cookers have individual quirks, even those of the same brand and style. My Rival 6-quart slow cooker heats up very slowly; my same-size West Bend is the fastest heating slow cooker in the West. The moral of the story: know your slow cooker.
Ingredients:	5 cloves garlic, divided 1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef 3 large eggs, beaten 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons water 3/4 cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup parsley, divided 2 beef bouillon cubes 2 cups boiling water 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds 3 ribs celery with leaves, thinly sliced 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed 1 can (14.5 ounce) stewed tomatoes, crushed 1 envelope dry onion soup mix 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 head escarole or curly endive, cleaned and cut into small pieces 1/4 cup small pasta such as elbow, shell or ditalini, cooked and drained
Instructions:	1. Finely mince 2 cloves garlic. Combine with the beef, eggs, cheese, water, breadcrumbs, salt and 1 tablespoon parsley in a large bowl. Mix lightly but thoroughly to combine. Roll by rounded tablespoons into 30 to 35 meatballs. Refrigerate 30 minutes. 2. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the water and set aside. Place the carrots and celery in the bottom of a slow cooker. Cover with the tomatoes, bouillon, onion soup mix, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cover and set on high. 3. Slice the remaining 3 cloves of garlic and place in a large skillet with the oil over moderately high heat. Cook the garlic until it turns light golden; remove and discard. Lightly brown the meatballs in the oil on all sides. Remove the meatballs using a slotted spoon and place in the cooker. Continue until all the meatballs are browned and in the cooker. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours. 4. Stir in the escarole 1 hour before serving. Add the pasta and remaining parsley 10 minutes before serving.