Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs

3 pounds ground round

9 eggs

3 cups bread crumbs

1½ cups grated parmesan

¾ teaspoon garlic powder

1½ teaspoons salt

Soup

1½ gallons water

3 pounds beef shank meat (or beef sold for stew)

1 large sweet onion, halved

5 ribs celery, cut into to fit into pot

1 pound baby carrots

2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes

1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree

Salt and pepper

½ pound very small pasta such as pastina, cooked

For the meatballs: Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ground round, eggs, bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder and salt, mixing just until combined. Shape into bite-size meatballs, place on baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes or until done.

For the soup: Pour water into a large soup pot; add shank meat, onion and celery stalks; let simmer 1 hour. Add carrots, tomatoes, puree and simmer until meat is cooked tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste while soup is cooking.

Strain soup, cut carrots and meat into bite-size pieces and set aside. Discard onion and celery. Return broth to pot. Add meat, carrots, pasta and meatballs to broth. Simmer 20 minutes.

Serves 16 to 18.

Nutrition values per serving: 520 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated), 39 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 47 g protein, 210 mg cholesterol, 810 mg sodium.