What? Italian Wedding Soup Isn't for Weddings?

Much to my surprise (as an American of non-Italian descent) when I reserched it, I found that contrary to popular belief, Italian Wedding Soup is NOT a traditional Italian wedding dish. Instead the soup got it's name from the delectable marriage between the meats and green vegetables in the rich broth. Called "minestra maritata" (married soup) in Italian, this is indeed a perfect pairing of meats with vegetables. "Married" in the stock pot, the complementary flavors warm you into a sweet lull.

The meatballs are baked which reduces the fat and you have the bonus of making the meatballs ahead of time which allows this dish to come together in minutes. Try as I might to make extra, this soup is always slurped down until there is none left.