Mexican Meatball Soup

Green Giant $10,000 Winner. The soup has a lot of ingredients but you just put them in the pot and cook. The meatballs are the hardest part. I like to serve this soup with Cornbread.

MEATBALLS:
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 (11 oz.) can sweet corn, drained, divided
1/3 cup medium or hot salsa
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
2 Tb. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 egg white
SOUP:
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes,
un-drained, cut up
1 (15-1/4 oz.) can kidney beans, drained
1 cup beef broth
2/3 cup medium or hot salsa
2 Tb. chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

In large bowl, combine ground beef, 1/2 cup of the corn and remaining meatball ingredients: mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on dinner plate.
Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.
In 5-quart Dutch oven combine remaining corn and all soup ingredients.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low; carefully add meatballs.
Simmer uncovered 45 to 60 minutes or until flavors blend and meat is no longer pink.

Yield: 6 (1-1/2 cup) servings. Makes 20 meatballs. Soup can be doubled.

NOTE: You can bake or broil the meatballs, first, and use a cheaper grade of ground beef. Garnish individual servings with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro or chopped green onions.

JACQUELINE'S COOKBOOK