Part of the beauty of being a grantee through People's Liberty is the great meeting opportunities it provides.  Kate Zaidan is a young woman in my 8 member class that shares my love for cooking, teaching and connecting people.  She took over her dad's store, Dean's Mediterranean Imports in Findlay market and is quite the go-getter.A true foodie, Kate is hosting a soup swap today at People's Liberty. The point of the swap is to share stories of where your recipe came from, as well as soup!  Each participant brings 6 quarts of soup to share in addition to the recipe.  Brilliant idea Kate!I was worried about having to make (and eat) soup when this week's February weather felt more like May.  But alas, the stars have aligned and we've got a cool 40 degree day ahead to chat and enjoy soup! Below is a spoiler- my mom's famous Italian wedding soup.  Mine is a bit simpler.  You can add more greens as desired.To read more about Kate's mission, check out the link: http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/021417-soup-swap-kate-zaidan.aspx

Ingredients

One, 3 # chicken               ¾ cup rice or tiny pasta½ yellow onion, diced4 large carrots, peeled & cut into coins4 stalks celery, chopped1 clove garlic, minced10 frozen meatballs, quartered1 box frozen spinach8 cups water, 1-2 tsp. salt to taste

Directions

Boil whole chicken. Remove from pot & skim fat from broth. Cut off visible fat from chicken & return meat to the pot.  Add chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic, & spinach and simmer until vegetables are soft.  Add meatballs & rice and cook for another 10 minutes until rice is cooked.  Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.Makes 8 servings.  Per serving: 216 calories, 8 gm fat, 21.5 gm carb, 1.9 gm fiber, 15 gm protein, 35 mg cholesterol, 400 mg sodium