Italian Wedding Soup

My latest FAVORITE soup!!!  I like to double/triple it and serve it at a fall party as an alternative to chili.

*****FOR AN EVEN EASIER WAY TO MAKE THIS SOUP, SEE THE NOTES UNDER THE RECIPE!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced                               

3 stalks celery, diced                     

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 T. olive oil

4-5 oz

. acin de pepe, cooked to directions       

8 cups cups chicken broth

 meatballs  (go ahead and make your own mini meatballs if you like, but I use Rosina's Italian Style.  Warm them in microwave a but until defrosted enough that I can cut them in quarters)

8 oz. spinach, chopped (or kale)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper  to taste

Directions:

In a large soup pot, add olive oil, sauté garlic briefly. Add onion and celery, sauté until tender. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese. Bring to a boil. Add cheese when done.

******WHEN DOUBLING - do NOT sue 10oz of acin de pepe, I don't think I've ever used more than 7 oz. in a pot of soup.  

NOTES:
Because I can be very lazy (well, b/c I have 3 little kids and sometimes the time I can spend cooking is limited) -  I go to Wegmans and buy already chopped celery and onion  - the finely chopped one.  If I make just one batch, I only need 1 bag, but I almost always double it, so get 2!