Ruthy's Italian Wedding Soup

A crazy fun week here at Blodgett Family Farm! Pumpkin sales are dwindling as pumpkins sell out, and we're turning our hands to hauling firewood, splitting and delivering...

Okay, not ME. :)

Farmer Dave, Seth, Jon and Cody. Cody is all grown up now, and wonderful, but he was the model for Todd, the oldest son in "More Than a Promise", the sweet sensitive boy with a cautious nature... Well the real Cody is all grown up and working on the farm when he's not working his other two jobs... Hard working, kind and gentle... 

I'm so proud of him!

And as you can see, we like to put EVERYONE to work:

Princess Morgan, unloading pumpkins! Hey, two-year-olds need to earn their keep around here! :)

And The Mighty Finn helps customers fill their cars with pumpkins....

But back to soup. 

Still not much cooking time on the farm. That's okay. We're throwing things together as we can, but this week I made a pot of Italian Wedding soup... and it's amazing.

For the stock:

6 quarts of water
1/2 cup Tones Chicken base
1/4 cup Tones Beef base
2 Tablespoons Parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Meatballs:

2 lbs (or more) ground round
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon Garlic powder or granulated garlic
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste if desired

Mix all together. Form into small meatballs. Cover bottom of large frying pan with a thin glaze of olive oil. Heat lightly. Cook meatballs over medium/low heat. When done add them to broth. Repeat until all meatballs have been cooked. Meanwhile, back at the ranch:

Peel and chop three carrots. Add to broth.
Chop one head of broccoli into little bitty pieces.  Add to broth.

Cook until broccoli and carrots are done.  May be served with cooked pasta (we do the pasta on the side so it doesn't get mushy).

Sister Shubert's rolls go great with this dish!

This is a hearty soup, delicious and soothing on cold, cold wet days. Or any day!

And I need to schedule one last trip to Abbott's Frozen Custard of Hilton before they close for the season... I didn't get there as often as I wanted... or as often as I should have, LOL! ... but if God gives me another summer, I'm making it a weekly trip! 

Unless I get busy.

Or gain a bunch of weight.

Or have to run and hang out with stinkin' cute grandgirlies and boys!

Maybe I'll just take them with me!  But in the meantime, look what's in stores RIGHT NOW!!! Nationwide! Ruthy's 20th book with Love Inspired!!! Oh, happy days are here again! And yes, of course  you should run out and buy it. Darlings, that's the whole reason I write 'em, so my friends can buy them! :) 

Award-winning, multi-published author Ruthy Logan Herne is living her dream of being a published author, having fun on the farm, mother to 6 wonderful kids with an appropriated seventh... and the grandkids are total #bonus! Ruthy loves sharing her faith and her life on the farm via facebook (so yes, go friend her!) twitter (@RuthLoganHerne) her website ruthloganherne.com