Matzo Ball Soup

My parents have left my sister and I home to starve to death. While they have jetted off to Vietnam for a month, my sister and I have been testing our hands in the kitchen. And as it turns out, our hands aren't too bad. 

I've been ravaging the local food blogs for some recipes that I could try - a combination of affordable, easy, comforting, and delicious. So where else to look but my sacred Smitten Kitchen? That's where I found this amazing Matzo Ball Soup recipe and just about another gazillion good eats. This soup was so incredibly easy and simple. If you're looking for an alternative to the traditional Chicken Noodle Soup, this has got to be it. On a cold day, it's all that you're looking for. 

Matzo Ball Soup (modified from Smitten Kitchen)

Yields: about 5-8 servings

For the matzo balls:

1/2 cup matzo meal

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tbsn. vegetable oil

2 tbsn. chicken broth or seltzer water

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

For the soup:

4 stalks of celery,  diced

4 carrots, diced

6 cans of low sodium chicken broth

To make the balls, combine all of the ingredients until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the meal absorb the liquid. In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the carrots and celery, cook until soft, about 8 - 12 minutes. Sieve the vegetables out and place in a separate dish. Wet your hands and form 1-inch balls with the matzo mixture, drop into the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the balls for about 25 - 35 minutes. Drop the vegetables back in, serve a big bowl for yourself and enjoy on a cold winter day!