Soup and Panini Night

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1 cup torn french bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten

Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped white onions
3/4 cup chopped carrots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup uncooked orzo
2 cups shredded kale or spinach

For the meatballs, put beef, pork, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, nutmeg, and paprika into a large bowl and use your hands to mix well. Place bread and milk in a small bowl. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Add to the meat mixture. Using a small cookie scoop, dip out meatballs and transfer them to a large plate. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

For the soup, melt olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until translucent. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, and 2 cups water. Cover and bring soup to a boil.

Add meatballs and orzo to the boiling soup and stir. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir in greens. Allow greens to wilt slightly. Serve immediately.

Chicken Caprese Panini

1 foccacia round, sliced in half
1 rotisserie chicken breast, sliced thin
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
8 slices fresh mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves
8 sundried tomatoes

Preheat a cast iron skillet or Panini press on medium high heat. Cut foccacia in half and into 4 pieces. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and pesto sauce. Stir well. Place1 tablespoon of pesto mayonnaise on both slices of bread. Add the sliced chicken breast, 2 slices of fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and sundried tomatoes. Place pieces of bread together and brush oil from pesto sauce on both sides of the bread. Add to hot Panini press and cook till toasty and cheese is melted through.