Minestrone with Meatballs

Do you say it "minestrone" to rhyme with stone? Or "minestroney" to rhyme with pony? I've heard it both ways. I bet it's regional. Whatever you want to call it, it's what we had for supper last night. Also I confess that I love store-bought meatballs. I have tried, in years past, bunches of different homemade meatball recipes, and they just can't compare to store-bought ones. The texture, the uniformity of flavor, etc. You can try to convince me that your Great Aunt Maude had a great homemade recipe, but I won't try it. And, I won't believe you. Well, if you invite us for dinner and you make those meatballs, of course I'll eat them (disclaimer: unless they have mayo in or on them). I just mean you won't be able to convince me that I'll like them as well as store-bought ones. The ones I have made in the past were certainly edible, just not delectable. This recipe is from the Everything Soup cookbook.

Minestrone with Meatballs
24 cooked meatballs (notice it doesn't say store-bought. So feel free to use Aunt Maude's if you want)
1 15 oz can navy or other white beans, drained
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tsp basil
1 bay leaf
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 cup ditali, orzo, or other pasta (I used alphabet pasta. It's what I always use instead of orzo)
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (I think you can only get 14.5 oz cans now)
1 10 oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (I used green beans)
1 tsp sugar

In a 4-qt saucepan, combine the meatballs, beans, onion, basil, bay leaf, broth, and water; bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and add the tomatoes and their liquid, the vegetables, and the sugar; heat through. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

This soup was a huge hit. The kids loved it. I had to pick the tomatoes out of Nathan's before he would touch it, but once I did that he ate it with a vengeance. This was easy enough to make on a busy night and came together really quickly. I have enough meatballs left to try it again in a few weeks. Hopefully I'll remember they're in there so I don't serve meatball soup in July. I think next time I might cover the soup pot while the pasta is cooking. A lot of the water reduced, and there was hardly any broth to dip my bread in. I do like some broth. But Steve said it was perfect, and that he liked it more stew-y. So do whatever you want, but this was a good one to try.