Rachel Ray's Mini Meatball Soup

• 1 pound lean ground round
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped...plus 1/4 onion, chopped
• pepper & salt to taste
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)2 pinches of nutmeg
• Three 15oz cans of chicken broth
• 1/2 cup small pasta

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine meat, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic pwdr, 1/4 c. of the minced onion, salt & pepper. Form 1/2" meatballs & place on a baking sheet. Bake about 12-15 minutes. While meatballs are baking, saute 1/2 cup chopped onion, carrot, celery & garlic in olive oil over medium heat (in a soup pot). Sprinkle vegetables with nutmeg, salt & pepper. Cook 5 minutes. Add broth & turn heat to medium high. When broth boils, drop in pasta. Reduce heat to simmer, drop in meatballs, and cook until pasta is al dente.