Meatball Soup with Spinach and Cheese Tortellini

Winter Lives
by Douglas Florian

The "dead" of winter-
Or so they say.
But winter lives
In her way.
She leaves her tracks,
She shows us signs:
Not brilliant blooms,
But webs of lines.
Not sprout or splash,
But silver gray.
Winter lives
In her own way.

SOUPS ON

Warm up with bowl of Meatball Soup with Spinach and Cheese Tortellini 

Cook's Notes: A delicious flavorful soup perfect for those chilly days. Veggies add a lot of nutrition to the soup. Advance prep makes soup assembly go faster. Recipe adapted from Super Easy Soups and Stews a Food Network Publication and serves 4-6. Marinated ranch saltine crackers are a perfect side. Look for that recipe posting Wednesday.  

Ingredients:

• 6-8 frozen prepared all beef cocktail size meatballs (dinner size will work if other size not available but use fewer)
• 1 TB. oil
• 1/2 cup each celery, onions, carrots and mini red and yellow peppers  
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 box (32 oz.) chicken broth low sodium
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1-1/2 cups refrigerated three cheese tortellini (I used a product Buitoni)
• 1 large handful of torn spinach leaves, stems removed 
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Cook frozen meatballs on a baking sheet according to package directions, set aside on paper towels to drain.
• Heat oil in a fry pan. Saute celery, carrots, onions and peppers 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 2 more minutes. Cover and sweat mixture for 8 minutes on low. 
• Add to the soup pot water, broth, spices and sauteed vegetables. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add in meatballs and cheese tortellini cook 4 minutes. Add in torn spinach leaves and cook until wilted. 

• To serve grate Parmesan cheese over each bowl.