Christina's Italian Meatball Soup

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Meatballs:
¾ pounds ground beef
½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 whole egg
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons black pepper
¼ teaspoons ground oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Soup:
3 TBSP olive oil
5 C beef stock
4 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP tomato paste
¾ cup onion, chopped
¾ cup carrots, chopped
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 cup russet potato, chopped (do not peel)
½ pound cabbage chopped
4 teaspoons dried parsley
2 whole Bay Leaves

To make meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into small balls and chill for 30 minutes.

After chilling, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pot. Briefly brown meatballs, then remove to a plate. Drain some of the fat off. To pot, add beef stock, water, salt, tomato paste, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Simmer 15 more minutes.

Add cabbage and meatballs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Lorri's Stale Bread Soup (Ribollita con Verdure)

from Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, plus some for drizzling
4 thick slices pancetta (not smoked) or bacon (smoked), chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium, skinny zucchini, cut into thin slices
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine, a couple of glugs
1 (15-ounce) can petite diced or chunky style crushed tomatoes
6 cups beef stock, available in boxes on soup aisle (recommended: Kitchen Basics brand)
4 cups, about 1/2 pound, chopped or torn stale bread
2 (15-ounce), small white beans (recommended: Goya brand, smaller than cannellini beans)
4 cups chopped kale or chard
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to pass at table

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and the the pancetta or bacon and render 4 minutes. Add rosemary, the garlic, 3/4 of the onions, carrots and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Saute the veggies 7 to 8 minutes, then add wine and deglaze the pot. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring up the heat. When soup boils, reduce to a simmer and stir in bread and beans. Pile the greens into the pot and wilt them into the soup. Simmer the ribollita 5 to 10 minutes, stirring soup as it simmers until it thickens to a dense stew-like consistency. A wooden spoon should be able to stand upright in the pot. Turn off heat, adjust seasonings and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with grated cheese, an additional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a spoonful of reserved finely chopped raw onions.