Meatballs | Molly's Home Cooking

Italian Wedding Soup

My mom makes the best soup. Every variety she makes is delicious… Broccoli cheddar, chicken noodle, beef, vegetable, ham and bean, and my all-time favorite, Italian wedding soup.

The secret to making amazing soup is using homemade chicken stock. Store-bought stock is a pale substitute to homemade… There really isn’t a suitable comparison. The rich, hearty, fresh flavor is worth the extra time.

The very first time I made my mom’s Italian wedding soup, I drained the stock into a colander that I’d placed in the sink. The problem was I did NOT put a bowl underneath the colander. I was so intent on not letting the chicken and veggie bits drop in the sink, I didn’t even notice my golden stock flowing down the drain until the last seconds. I wasn’t exactly happy when I finally realized what I’d done. I had more chicken, so after a few deep breaths, I made another batch. Although it tasted fine, the soup magic was gone after that blunder.

It took me a few more times, but I was finally able to replicate my mom’s version. The stock is salty and full of flavor, the chicken tastes fantastic from the slow cook in the stock, the carrots are sweet and slightly crisp, and the meatballs… My favorite part, absorb all these flavors while also distributing additional elements into the soup. It’s simple, without using a lot of ingredients, and tasty.

Another great thing? This is an easy weeknight meal – just make your stock and meatballs over the weekend! Add a fresh salad or loaf of crusty Italian bread for a perfect dinner.

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Spaghetti with Meatballs

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When my brothers or I visit our parents, the meal waiting for us is usually spaghetti. My mom makes the best tomato sauce, we can’t get enough of it. The secret ingredient is heirloom tomatoes that have been growing in my family for 60+ years. They are better than gold.

The only stipulation with our “welcome home dinner” is that if we want meatballs, there needs to be a special request in advance. No exceptions to that rule, tomato is the house sauce in my Mom’s kitchen… So for us, meatballs are a rare and delicious treat.

I love the extra layer of flavor meatballs add to tomato sauce. As they simmer in the sauce, they soak up the tomatoes while also adding their own unique flavor. The sauce ends up deeper, richer and more delicious from simmering with the meatballs. It is such a simple and easy meal to make, but one that always makes people happy.

Last week I went to Western Pennsylvania to celebrate my mom’s birthday. I was also there to support my Grandma at a bridge dedication ceremony in honor of war veterans. My Grandma and seven men, who were all members of the armed forces during WWII, were there to participate in the dedication. It was a pretty awesome event to witness. I was so proud to see my grandmother front and center, she was in the Marines during the war and is an incredible person. Both my Mom and Grandmother are amazing women, I’m so lucky to have them in my life. It was nice to be able to be there for them this weekend since they’ve been there for me so many times in my life.

We had spaghetti with tomato sauce for dinner the first night. It was fantastic… I wish my mom would bottle her sauce.

Sam had to work, so he had stayed home and took care of our pups while I was away. He is always a little sad when I head up without him, so I made him spaghetti and meatballs when I got back. It’s a thrill that he loves our tomato sauce so much, it’s always fun to make it for him. And, smelling tomato sauce cooking all day reminds me of home.

Since this meal is so soft and warm, I like to pair it with some crusty bread or a cool, crunchy salad.

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