In some households, the approach of Fall means pumpkin spice, sweaters and apple picking. It used to be that way for me too, until last year when Brad and I moved in together. In my household, “Fall” starts the day Ohio State plays its first football game and the only Saturday I can drag my boyfriend out for some pumpkin patch and apple cider shenanigans is on bye week.
I am all for a good tailgate or an excuse to make game day snacks and appetizers, but Brad takes these games so seriously I don’t know how he even enjoys them. He doesn’t like to watch them around fans who “don’t really get it” and if I accidentally make us social plans between kickoff and the final pass, I’m going alone.
There are things that Brad and I are equally enthusiastic about when the weather starts to get chilly: sweatshirt and vest weather is always welcomed (even though I’m simultaneously mourning the poolside cocktail season), and we both really like soup.
After working from home for the better part of the past seven years, it’s hard to balance everything I want to do when I’m working long hours – I barely make it to the gym, I go months in between manicures, my days of taking Henry to the park are limited to two: Saturday and Sunday, and sometimes cooking feels insurmountable. But cooking at home usually means eating better and that becomes even more important as the weather turns and cold and flu season approaches.
Although I have admittedly been cooking less than usual since I started my job at @properties in May, there is a Jewel-Osco conveniently along my commute home. There have been nights where I walked past the store with every intention of hitting Grubhub or DoorDash, but then suddenly. I’m tempted to buy ingredients to make an actual dinner, one that doesn’t show up in a plastic container.
It’s easy to do that at Jewel-Osco, where great-tasting organic food is be affordable for everyone. With Jewel-Osco’s exclusive O Organics® product line, the top-selling organic brand in their stores, its easy incorporate organic items into your wellness routine without a lot of time, money or effort.
Some of my favorite O Organics products lend themselves nicely to making comfort food, and it just so happens that soup fits squarely into that category. I’d never made Italian Wedding Soup, but any meal that requires only one pot and incorporates both pasta and meatballs wasn’t going to be anything but a hit here.
This soup is pure comfort – savory chicken broth with ditalini pasta – though you can use orzo, small shells or whatever you like – with hearty meatballs, carrots, onion, celery, fresh spinach, and a generous topping of Parmesan cheese.
O Organics products are available in the Chicago area exclusively at Jewel-Osco. If you do not live near a Jewel-Osco you can also find them at all Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Albertsons Market and Carrs/Safeway.
For the meatballs:- 1½ pound O Organics Grass Fed Ground Beef
- ¼ cup fresh white bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the soup:- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup minced onion, minced onion
- 1 cup diced O Organics carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 10 cups homemade chicken stock
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or orzo
- 12 ounces O Organics baby spinach
- Make the meatballs: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, cheese, milk, egg, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon and mix until combined. Using a teaspoon drop small 1-inch meatballs onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake 25 minutes or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until softened, 5-6 minutes. Stir occasionally and when onions are softened, add chicken stock and wine. Bring to a boil and add pasta, then cook for 6-8 minutes. Add meatballs, fresh spinach and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately and garnish with extra grated parmesan and extra parsley, as desired.
This post is sponsored by Jewel-Osco. All opinions are my own.
