Italian Style Meatball Soup and 4 Cheese Grilled Cheese

This is a soul warming comfort food dish inspired by an Italian classic.

1 pound each ground beef and ground turkey
1beaten egg
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups of water
2 chicken bullion cubes
3 small carrots chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
4 potatoes peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 onion chopped
2 teaspoons each dried basil and oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
8 slices bread
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic crushed
Pinch of salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup 3 cheese Italian blend

Combine the egg, meat, garlic, bread crumbs, cheese,salt and pepper. Roll this mixture into balls about 1/2 inch around. Set these aside. Add the carrots, onions, bay leaves, basil, oregano and celery to a large soup pot. Cover and let this cook over medium heat add the tomato paste and let cook for another minute. Add the water and billion cubes. Bring this to a boil covered. Reduce the heat to medium high. Add the potatoes and meat balls. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Melt the butter in a small sauce pot. Add the olive oil and garlic. Let this cook over medium low heat for 2 minutes . Remove this from the heat and brush the mixture on one side of the bread and place it butter side down in a  nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Add a large tablespoon of the cheese, butter one side of another piece of bread place it on top of the cheese, butter side up. Cook for  5 minutes on each side. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@g mail.com