Italian Wedding Soup

Original Source, Adapted by Me

Ingredients:
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 package frozen Italian meatballs
1/2 bunch celery, thinly sliced
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cup orzo pasta
5 cups shredded fresh spinach
grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine onion, meatballs, celery, broth, water, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper in a large crockpot. Cook on high 4-5 hours.
2. For last 20-30 minutes of cooking time, add orzo.
3. Stir in spinach and sprinkle with parmesan cheese just before serving.

Notes: Years ago I ate a bowl of "Italian Wedding Soup" that Aunt Kathleen made and I fell in love with the dish. Since I don't see her very often, I felt uncomfortable asking for the recipe after the fact, so I've been on the hunt for a similar dish since then. As it turns out, that title is a a very loose one and refers to just about any type of soup with Italian-ish seasonings. It has been so long since I have eaten Kathleen's that I can't remember the ingredients that she used, but when I found this recipe, it seemed like it would be a similar result. After making and tasting it, I don't think that it's the same, but it sure is delicious! Simple and mild enough to be a "sick soup," yet flavorful enough to be an enticing winter comfort food. This has been officially added to our go-to meal list.