spaghetti stoup

as a follow up to his wildly successful first post, here's the third installment from jason, my best taste tester. i've been making this dish for years, since like others, it's one of those that is so simple and delicious, it finds it's way into my weeknight menu each winter. this time, it's his turn.

Now that the weather is cold and snowy, I've been wanting something that Kate made a long time ago: Spaghetti "Stoup" (as Rachel Ray calls it).

This is a really easy and tasty recipe that you can make on a weeknight, even if you're not a super-cook like my wife Kate.

There is an online version here, but it is a little different from the recipe found in the Rachel Ray magazine, which is what I used, but with two modifications: I left out the parsley because I'm not a big fan of it, and I used dried basil instead of fresh basil because I didn't have any fresh basil.

anyone else notice her thirty minute meals seem to take at least forty?

spaghetti stoup
adapted from rachael ray
40 minutes, serves 4

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
15 ounces tomato sauce
3/4 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 pound spaghetti broken in half
dried basil

1. coat the bottom of a large dutch oven over medium heat with olive oil. add the onion, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf and cook about 5 minutes, until vegetables start to soften.
2. add the chicken broth, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. cover and bring to a boil.
3. in a large bowl, use your hands to combine the beef, egg, bread crumbs, and cheese. roll the meat into small meatballs, about the size of a walnut, and drop into the simmering soup. simmer about 10 minutes.
4. add the spaghetti and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until the pasta is done and the meatballs are cooked through. season with salt, dried basil, & pepper and enjoy.

2014.11.03 this was bcmom's kitchen's pick for the secret recipe club!