Cinnamon Chili Sweet Pepper Meatball Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

Soup:

2 to 3 cloves garlic chopped
2 carrots diced
3 stalks celery diced
½ white onion diced
1 can Del Monte diced tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, Oregano, no salt
1 cube Knorr Chicken Bouillon dissolved in 4 C boiling water
2 extra cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 C dry rotini pasta
3 T oil

Meatballs:

¾ lb lean ground beef. I used 85%
1 t Victoria’s Gourmet Cinnamon Chili Rub: http://vgourmet.com/cinnamon-chile-rub
1 egg
2 heaping T Italian style bread crumbs
1 T honey
1 sweet cherry pepper chopped (I used bottled peppers, the papadew type)
¼ t salt and 1/8 t pepper

Direction:

• Form meatballs using all ingredients. Make into ½ balls. Set aside.
• Place 2 T oil in large Dutch oven pan. Lightly sear meatballs, being very careful they don’t fall apart. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes only. Remove and set aside. In same pan reheat oil, and add mira poix, and saute until transparent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add bouillon broth, can of tomatoes, a little salt and pepper and extra water. Bring to boil. Add meatballs, carefully placing them in boiling broth with a spoon one at a time. Keep uncovered, boiling on medium and cook meatballs for 15-20 minutes. Then, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes or so.
• Serve with parsley and crusty bread.