Italian Bean and Meatball Soup

My husband and I are big fans of soups. I make them all the time and often just wing it without a recipe. I had some left over ground beef and it became the inspiration for this soup. It's simple to put together and could be easily modified with other beans or veggies. It would be great with some greens added.

Italian Bean and Meatball Soup

For the meatballs:

1/2 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. Italian herb mix
salt and pepper

Mix everything together and form into small balls, approximate 1/2 tsp each.

For the soup:

2 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 pint chicken stock
2 cans navy beans, drained

Heat large sauce pan and add oil. Brown the meatballs, when they are almost done add the raw vegetables. Saute until the onion is tender and add the stock. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the drained beans and heat well. Add salt and pepper if needed.