Albondigas Soup...



  Let me start off by saying that this soup is one of my very favorites... seriously, it is. The Rusten House, a family run Mexican restaurant in my hometown, serves it as a starter dish. Growing up, I ate dinner there with my family about once a week from the time I was a little girl until I left home. When I go home and visit we always hit up the Rusten House... always. To this day, the waiter still remembers my order. Alright, I do get the same thing every time... albondigas soup and cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, so that's probably why he remembers. But I still think it's amazing.

Something I don't think are amazing...... piñatas.

Let me diverge for a moment.

Listen, I know they are supposed to be fun and you get loads of candy, but I have never liked them. Even as a child. I dreaded the piñata at my cousins birthday parties. DREADED.

We would wait in line to be blindfolded, spun around until we were dizzy, and given a wooden stick to beat down a paper mâché cartoon character. All the while, my grandpa who maned the piñata, would move the piñata up and down on a rope so you would miss the thing.... on purpose.... then laugh!

This is why I have never had a piñata at one of my girls birthday parties... even though they have begged... and pleaded...

I know, I know... your thinking I'm a little too sensitive. Your right, I need to get over my piñata phobia.

And I will...... eventually. It's just still too fresh.

Anyway, lets recap. What I think is amazing... Albondigas Soup and the Rusten House waiter remembering my order. Not so amazing... piñatas at birthday parties.

So, here ya go... my version of an amazing soup.

Albondigas Soup

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 carrots, cleaned and diced
• 4 stalks of celery, cleaned and diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 quarts of water (12 cups)
• 10 beef bullion cubes
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1/3 cup of uncooked long grain rice
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons of salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon of pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon of season salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add the water and the beef bullion cubes. Bring to a boil.

In the meantime, combine the ground beef, rice, remaining salt and pepper, season salt, oregano, and egg in a medium bowl.  Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. With your hands, gently roll the ground beef mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. This makes about 15 meatballs.

Once the soup has come to a boil, drop the meatballs in and cover. Lower the heat to medium low and let the soup simmer for about an hour or until the rice in the meatballs is cooked. Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!

I'm linking this amazing recipe up to the Tidy Mom and Dine and Dish Soup-a-Palooza!

Come join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers.

Printable Recipe here on Tasty Kitchen

Yours Truly... the piñata hater.