Foodie Friday Lunch Bag Larceny Soup [VIDEO]

It may be April Fool's Day and we are having some fun. But this meatball soup is no joke! See the antics on our YouTube channel.

*Don't try this in your break room, unless you are absolutely sure you can out-run your coworkers!

Lunch Bag Larceny Meatball Soup (Prep. time: 3 minutes, without cooking the meatballs. Serves 1)

3 left over meatballs in sauce with cheese or frozen prepared meatballs, thawed (meatball recipe follows)

½ can ready-to-eat tomato basil soup

¼ C. cooked couscous

1 Tb. sliced green onions

2 Tb. parmesan cheese

Cut the meatballs into slices and place in a large soup cup.  Put couscous into the cup with the green onions and add the prepared soup. Microwave about 2 minutes (since the meatballs are fairly dense, it takes a little longer to cook). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Couscous

To make the couscous, follow the box instructions, stirring the pasta (yes, it’s a pasta) into the boiling water and tsp. of olive oil.  Remove from heat and stir in the onions (and chick peas if you are making a couscous salad). Cover and allow to sit off-heat until the water is absorbed and fluff with a fork.  If you are doing a salad, dress with a little vinegar.

Meatballs

½ lb. ground beef

½ lb. ground pork

¼ onion finely diced

1 clove garlic finely diced

1 tsp. each basil, oregano and parsley flakes

salt, pepper

1 egg, beaten

¼ C. unseasoned bread crumbs

2 Tb. olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, combine the pork and beef, onion, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and beaten egg. Do not over-work the meat. Mix in the bread crumbs.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Roll the meat mixture into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball.  Brown the meat on all sides and remove to a baking sheet.  Bake another 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through. (the meat should not be totally firm when pressed with your finger. At medium to medium-rare, the meat should give a little when you press it.  Remember, the meat continues to cook after it is taken out of the oven.)