Spinach and Meatball Soup

This is a favorite in my (Ailish's) family. My parents made it a lot when I was growing up and, even though it had spinach in it (gasp, vegetables!), I always loved it. 

Ingredients
1 pound ground meat (we suggest pork!)
1 egg, beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or GF bread crumbs; or mashed potato)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

6 cups stock or broth (my parents always used beef broth, but your favorite will work well)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried pasta (or GF pasta) - usually ditalini, but other small pasta like orzo, stelline, etc. work well
Spinach, coarsely chopped - 1/2 pound if you want it spinach-lite, 1 pound if you loooove spinach

Recipe
Pour the stock and water into a soup pot and bring to a boil.
While the soup comes to a boil, combine meat, egg, garlic, cheese, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Form into balls about 3/4 of an inch wide.
Once the soup boils, add the meat balls to the soup. 
After all the meat balls are in, add the pasta. 
Stir, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
When the pasta is done to your liking, add the spinach. Sometimes it is helpful to add it in batches so it all wilts promptly.
Once the spinach has wilted - serve!

For a vegetarian option, add diced potato (give it five or so minutes before adding pasta if you cut a large dice) or shiitake mushrooms (add with the pasta). 

Whatley’s Carrot-Cumin Soup for a Crowd

Based on Alice Waters’ “Carrot Soup” in Soup for Syria (2015).

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoons olive oil
3 medium or 2 large onions, diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 Tablespoon dried
1 Tablespoon whole cumin seeds
3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
8 cups chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock
½ cup yogurt (optional)
Fresh ground pepper, Sea salt
Handful chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

1. Gently heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy pot (do not let the olive oil smoke). Add the chopped onions and whole springs of thyme. Saute until the onions are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the peeled and sliced carrots, cumin seeds, and some salt. Cook for 5 minutes or so.

3. Add the stock and bring to a boil before lowering the heat. Simmer until the carrots are tender, about half an hour.

4. Remove from heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender, if you want. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the yoghurt and blend it in.

5. Top with fresh parsley, chopped fine.