Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 medium white onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, sliced thinly
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1 stalk fennel, sliced thinly (include part of the bulb)
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste
1 tsp dried parsley
1 medium zuchinni, cut in matchsticks
1 medium sweet potato, cut in matchsticks
1 tsp ginger, minced
3 32-oz. boxes chicken broth
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup pasta stars (or alphabets or orzo)
2 tsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a large soup pot (5 qt or larger), saute onions on low heat until translucent (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and saute for about 3 minutes. Add carrots, celery and fennel and saute on low for about 8 minutes. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Stir. Add chicken broth, set heat to medium and bring to a boil. Add sweet potato and zuchinni and simmer for 30 minutes on medium low. Add ginger, spinach and tomatoes. Stir. Add pasta stars. Stir (and make sure they don't stick to bottom of pot). Simmer on medium low for another 30 minutes. Serve.

VARIATIONS

You can add different vegetables like rutabaga or regular potatoes. Cut them in matchsticks and add after broth starts to boil. You can serve the soup with pistou or garnish with chopped chives or shallots.

Bow-tie pasta with meatballs

INGREDIENTS

Sauce
2 28-oz cans San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tbsp tomato paste (from a tube, I used Amore)
1 cup red wine (I used Shiraz, Penfolds)
1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, fresh
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
1 cup red wine
olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste


Meatballs
1 lb ground sirloin
1/4 lb ground Italian sausage
1/2 tsp Montreal steak seasoning
1/2 tsp beef bouillon powder
1/2 medium yellow onion, grated
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup flour
salt and fresh cracked pepper
pinch paprika
olive oil

pasta
1 package bowtie pasta, cooked al dente

DIRECTIONS
For the sauce, saute the onions in olive oil until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and saute for about a minute. Add tomatoes and heat through for about five minutes. Stir in the grated cheese and chopped basil. Add salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

In the meantime, fill a pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt and pasta, and boil until al dente.

While the sauce is simmering, using your hands, mix the ground beef, italian sausage, onion, steak seasoning, boullion, cheese and egg together until just combined. In a plate, combine flour, salt and pepper, and paprika. Using a melon baller or a scoop, shape the meatballs into small 1-inch balls. Dredge each meatball in flour and set aside. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil until hot. Cook meatballs without flipping until brown on one side. Then flip and cook through until brown on all sides. Set aside.

Add wine to sauce. Stir in meatballs and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve on top of pasta with grated parmigiano reggiano.