Meatball and Macaroni Soup & Grilled 4 Cheese Sandwiches

first time making this duo out of Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals 2.  a major hit for all!  the kids loved it and so did me and mom.  i will definitely keep this in my regular rotation to make again.

Meatball and Macaroni Soup

makes 4 big servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 bay leaves, fresh or dried

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound ground beef, pork, and veal combined (i used 1/2 lb pork and 1/2 lb beef)

1 egg beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups dried pasta (ditalini or macaroni or broken fettuccini)

1 pound fresh spinach, coarsley chopped

In a deep pot over medium heat, add oil, chopped carrots, celery, onions and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover pot and cook veggies, 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the veggies cook, combine ground meats, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add broth and water to the pot of veggies. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat a bit and start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into the pot.  When you are done rolling the meat, add pasta to the soup and stir.  Cover and simmer soup, 10 minutes.  When pasta is tender, stir in chopped spinach in batches.  When spinach has wilted, the soup is done and ready to serve.  Adjust your seasonings, and serve with crusty bread or grilled 4 cheese sandwiches.

Grilled 4 Cheese Sandwiches

makes 4 sandwiches

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, cracked away from the skin

8 slices crusty Italian semolina bread

1 cup shredded provolone cheese (i used sliced provolone)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 cup shredded Asiago cheese (i did not use this)

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, combine oil, butter, and garlic, and cook gently for 2 or 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Place a large nonstick skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.  Using a pastry brush, brush one side of 4 slices of bread with garlic and butter oil and place buttered side down in skillet.  Top each slice with equal amounts of the 4 cheeses, distributing them equally over the 4 slices.  Top each sandwich with another slice of bread, and brush top with garlic butter.  Flip the sandwiches a few times until cheeses are melted and gooey and bread is toasty and golden.  Cut sandwiches from corner to corner and serve.