Italian Meatball Soup

With winter weather in full force around here, I've been in the mood for soup! It's a good thing everyone likes it because I've got some other soups in the works. But this Italian Meatball Soup was the first one I thought of and it turned out so yummy! I think the only thing I'd change would be to put some red pepper flakes in the mix. But it was tasty without them!
Italian Meatball Soup
 
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Panko Bread crumbs
2 teaspoon Italian seasonings ~ divided use
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 medium onion ~ diced
1 red bell pepper ~ diced
1 green bell pepper ~ diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes ~ optional
1 32-ounce container beef stock
3 cups water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup orzo
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, milk, Panko, 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning and some salt and pepper. Shape into small meatballs. Set aside.
In a dutch oven, saute all the veggies until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasonings and the red pepper flakes if you're using them.
Add the beef broth, water and tomato paste and bring to a boil.
In a separate skillet, cook meatballs in a little olive oil or butter until browned on all sides.
Gently add the meat balls to the veggies.
Add salt and pepper and simmer for an hour...adding orzo the last 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

The ingredients.

Combine the meat, milk, 

panko crumbs, Italian seasoning 

and salt and pepper.

Make the meatballs! Set aside.

Chop your veggies.

Saute the veggies in a little olive oil 

along with some salt and pepper, 

some more Italian seasoning and 

the red pepper flakes, if you're using them.

Add the beef broth, water 

and tomato sauce to the veggies.

In a separate skillet, brown the 

meatballs on all side them add 

them to the dutch oven.

Simmer for a while then add 

the orzo and cook until done.

Yum!