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LIFE
Recipes: Meatball soup & lemon-lime bars
Vegetable Soup with Mini Meatballs & Pasta
Fresh vegetables and Romano cheese give this soup robust flavor. When paired with garlic bread or toasted baguette slices, it becomes a hearty, satisfying dinner dish. Easy to prepare and ready in a flash, my Vegetable Soup with Mini Meatballs & Pasta makes weeknight cooking a snap.
Recipe Summary:
Prep Time: about 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup orzo or other small pasta shape for soups
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbs. tomato paste
2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. dry Italian Seasoning
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
1 lb. ground veal, chicken, or lean pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup finely grated Romano, plus 1/4 cup
1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 bag baby spinach leaves (about 3 cups)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and carrots to the pot and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then, add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste and dry Italian seasoning. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes and add salt, to taste.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs. In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, eggs, 1/3 cup Romano cheese, and the 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Add the meat and gently stir to combine.
Using a teaspoon measure, form the meat mixture into 3/4-inch pieces and roll into smooth balls with your hands.
Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering broth. Stir gently and be careful so you do to not break up the meatballs. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
Add the cooked pasta and spinach leaves to the hot soup. Stir well and add the remaining 1/4 cup grated Romano and cook for 2-3 minutes more. If the soup is too thick, add water, 1/2 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with additional grated Romano, if desired. Enjoy!
Health Note: Packed with veggies and lean protein, this recipe is already very health conscious. To cut calories, fat, and sodium, reduce the amount of Romano cheese to 1/3 cup, switch to plain bread crumbs, and use salt sparingly.
Lemon-Lime Bars
buttery crust and freshly squeezed lemons and key limes make this mouth-watering treat surprisingly rich and zesty. A perfect afternoon pick-me-up, my Lemon-Lime Bars compliment a cup of hot tea and make great after-school snacks.
Recipe Summary:
Prep Time: about 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Yield: 12 bars, 9 squares, or 18 triangles
Ingredients:
For the cookie crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the lemon-lime filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 lemon (yields about 1 tsp.)
3 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh key lime juice
3 Tbs. heavy cream
Confectioners’ sugar (garnish)
Directions:
For the cookie crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish, preferably glass.
In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse until blended. Then, gradually add the butter pieces and pulse until the dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched, about 1 minute. Press the dough into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared baking dish with your fingertips or a spatula. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
Bake the crust until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the shortbread crust cool completely. Leave the oven on, and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F.
For the lemon-lime filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice and cream. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl, and whisk until just blended. Carefully pour the mixture over the cooled shortbread crust.
Bake until the filling is set but still jiggles slightly when the dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes. It may take a bit longer if you are using a metal pan. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes. Run the tip of a small knife along the inside of the dish to loosen the crust from the sides, then let cool completely.
Cut into desired shape. Using a spatula, carefully remove the bar cookies from the dish. Just before serving, garnish with confectioners sugar. Enjoy!
Health Note: With this dessert, the best way to keep calories in check is to keep the portion size small. But you may use a sugar substitute for baking, like Splenda, if necessary.
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Marshall Artists Series: "Wizard of Oz" 
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