Italian Wedding Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 teaspoons garlic (minced)
1 medium onion (diced)
3/4 cup carrot (diced)
10 ounces spinach (chopped frozen)
12 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon italian seasoning mix
2 cups pasta (small pearl like pastini)
2 lbs extra lean beef (I used ground chicken or turkey at times)
1/2 cup onion (grated)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper (to Taste)

Preparation

Prepare your meatballs first, mixing all the ingredients listed starting with 2 lbs ground beef and below- form into small meatballs - less than 1/2\" in diameter.
Place into a frying pan and cook till 3/4 done or a nice brown coating is developed.
Place on paper towels to drain any fats. Remove all fats from the pan and deglaze the frying pan with 1 cup of chicken stock. Reserve this stock.
In a large soup pot add 1 tbsp olive oil, add onions, garlic and carrot. Saute till tender. Approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Add your chicken stock, basil, Italian spice and oregano. Allow 10 minutes of simmer time.
Add frozen spinach and allow to melt into soup. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes.
Add meatballs and reserved stock from deglazing the fry pan.
Cook your pastini to el dente. Add to soup.
Serve with fresh grated Parmasan Reggiano cheese.