Minestrone

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground chuck
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry, divided
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (4- to 5-pound) baking hen
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 small green peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 large celery stalk with leaves, cleaned and chopped
• 1/4 cup barley
• 1 medium-size red pepper pod, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken-flavored bouillon granules
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (29-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 2 medium turnips, peeled and diced
• 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 (29-ounce) can cut green beans, undrained
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
• 1 (17-ounce) can green peas, undrained
• 1 (16-ounce) can sliced carrots, undrained
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill weed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (8-ounce) package fettuccine, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh chives

1. Combine meat, egg, 1/4 cup cooking sherry, juice of lemon (reserve rind), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl; mix well. Cover tightly, and refrigerate mixture overnight. Shape into 1/2-inch meatballs, and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Remove giblets from hen; reserve for other uses. Remove excess fat from hen; discard. Rinse hen in cold water.
3. Combine prepared hen, onion, green pepper, celery, barley, remaining cooking sherry, red pepper, garlic, bouillon granules, bay leaf, and reserved lemon rind in a 21-quart stock pot. Add water to cover hen; stir well. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 1 hour.
4. Remove garlic and bay leaf from broth with a slotted spoon, and discard. Remove hen from broth, and cool slightly. Bone hen, and chop meat. Discard bones; return meat to broth. Stir in tomatoes, turnips, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil.
5. Add reserved meatballs, one at a time, to boiling broth; stir well. Add green beans, corn, peas, carrots, and water chestnuts, stirring well after each addition. Stir in dill weed, parsley, and fettuccine. Cover and remove from heat. Let soup stand 1 hour.
6. Ladle soup into individual bowls; sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh chives. Serve warm.
7. Note: Minestrone freezes well.

lean ground chuck, egg, cooking sherry, lemon, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, baking hen, onions, green peppers, celery, barley, red pepper, garlic, chickenflavored bouillon granules, bay leaf, tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, green beans, whole kernel corn, green peas, carrots, water chestnuts, dill weed, parsley, parmesan cheese, fresh chives

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/minestrone-2 (may not work)