Savory Meatball Soup

Oh my goodness gracious! This was a perfect cold weather day dinner. I chose this recipe from my teammate Baby Kato in the March 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap on recipezaar.com. She hails from Ontario, Canada. Everyone really enjoyed this soup. It's a keeper at my house! I served this with homemade french bread. Perfect in every way! Don't let the long list of ingredients make you run the other way.

Savory Meatball Soup
2 TBSP butter or margarine
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot OR small onion finely chopped
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 cups beef broth
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
2 tsp worchestershire sauce
28 oz diced tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme (I just threw in some dried thyme)
1 tsp fresh oregano (I used dried)
1/2 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
24 small meatballs, frozen (you can also use homemade)
3 large red potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Fry onion, garlic and shallots in butter or margarine for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and bell pepper. Fry an additional 5 minutes.
Pour into large crockpot. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Cook on low all day. Serve with parmesan cheese garnish and your favorite crusty bread.