Weekend Recap: Family Pics & Bee Mighty

On Friday nights I don’t usually cook. Generally Allen picks up take-out or we go out to dinner with the kids. I had planned on making Italian Wedding Soup on Thursday but homework and errands took up most of the day, so I didn’t get around to it. So Friday I cooked- I told Allen not to get used to it though :-). This is a family favorite in our house. All of the children like it which means I only have to cook one time! Yes! I got the recipe from Giada’s Family Dinner cookbook but made a few adjustments.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Meatballs

I usually double the meatball recipe and freeze half of them for the next time I want to make this soup.

8 oz lean ground beef

8 ozs ground pork

1 egg, beaten

1 small onion, grated

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup dried breadcumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients with your hands until combined thoroughly. Roll into small meatballs with your hands and place on wax paper covered baking sheet(s). If I have doubled the recipe, I put one baking sheet in to freezer to flash freeze the meatballs. The other sheet I set next to the stove to add to the soup when ready.

Soup

14 cups of good {low sodium} chicken broth (my fav is Pacific)

1/2 cup acini di pepe pasta

2 heads of escarole, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup cup parmesan, grated

Bring chicken broth to a slow boil over medium heat. Add meatballs slowly to the broth. Simmer meatballs for about ten minutes stirring very carefully so as not to break up the meatballs. Add the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 more minutes. Add escarole. Once escarole has wilted add the egg-parmesan mixture in small strands with a fork. Cook 10 more minutes. Serve in bowls with extra fresh parm on top!

This past weekend we had our family pictures taken. Usually this a fairly stressful endeavor with 3 kids, but this year it actually wasn’t! Lucy and Steven of Smitten & Hooked made it such a fun event for me, Allen and the kids. The pictures were shot on a farm just north of Charlotte. It was freezing Saturday morning so they had a bonfire going for us to stay warm by. Lucy had built the cutest teepee for us to have some pictures taken in. Check out her blog…. she has posted a teepee DIY! They also had an enormous treat table for the kids after the pictures were finished. Let’s just say we were all super impressed! Nat asked if we could do that again next year and Jackson didn’t want to leave! If you need pictures taken in the Charlotte area, I highly recommend them.

The treat table mesmerized my kids!

Happy kiddos!

Yummy Cake Pops!

Saturday night, Allen and I attended the event Bee Mighty for the second time. Bee Mighty provides funding for medical therapy and equipment to NICU graduates. It is a great cause that is close to many people’s hearts here. The event took place at Charlotte Country Club. We went with a large group of friends and had a blast.

I got this gorgeous Nightcap Clothing dress at doll boutique in Charlotte. If you are looking for cocktail dress for all of your upcoming holiday parties, check them out. They have gorgeous ones from Nicole Miller, Sanctuary and Nightcap. I loved everything I tried on!!

McCay’s amazing dress is Mara Hoffman

Jewelry from Poppy Style
XOXO,
Josephine

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