Here's to a 2013 filled with comfort

Sometimes there is nothing as comforting as soup on a cold night. Especially if it's made by your mom. Do you notice that things taste better if your mom cooks it? It's like a hug warmed up. Like a warm blanket on a cold night. I was back at home for a few weeks nursing my broken ankle, and my mom made this soup one night. The mini meatballs and the potatoes make this a hearty meal, but the broth keeps it light. I haven't made a list of resolutions for 2013 yet, but I'm determined to have a winter filled with cozy nights in at home with a warm bowl of soup and my favorite DVDs.

Mom's Meatball Soup:

Ingredients:

1 potato (any kind will do, yukon gold, boiling potatoes)
1 carrot
1 onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
5-6 cups water
1 egg yolk
Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

Dice the potato and carrot into small chunks.

Grate the onion with a box grater, and put in a big bowl. Add the parsley, ground beef, rice, salt, and pepper. Combine gently using your hands. Form into mini meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.

Put 1 cup flour into a bowl. Drop the meatballs in the flour one by one until they are evenly coated. Shake to remove excess flour.

Meanwhile, heat the water in a pot. Once the water is boiling, add the diced potatoes and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs, and let it simmer until the rice and meat are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and the lemon juice. Add the 1 tablespoon flour into the mixture. Ladle a little broth from the pot into the mixture slowly, and then add the whole mixture to the pot. (Don't skip this step, it slowly heats up the mixture. Otherwise, you risk scrambling the eggs. This mixture thickens up the broth). Turn off the heat and serve.

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