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1
Spray a baking sheet lightly with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and black pepper. Using your hands, or a wooden spoon, mix beef until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Add egg and bread crumbs. Mix until combined.
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2
Pinch off about two teaspoons of meatball mixture and roll into balls. Place meatballs on greased baking sheet. Set baking sheet aside.
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3
Heat olive oil in a large (5 1/2 quart) pot over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking. Add carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until carrots begin to soften, about three minutes. Add celery, onions, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about two minutes.
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4
Add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Once the soup reaches a boil, add meatballs, one at a time. After you've added half the meatballs, stir soup gently with a wooden spoon. Add remaining meatballs and stir. Allow to cook for five minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer (look for occasional gentle bubbles) for about 20 minutes.
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5
While soup simmers, cook pasta. Fill a medium (4 quart) pot 3/4 full with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When water reaches a boil, add 2 teaspoons of salt and pasta. Stir pasta with a wooden spoon for a few seconds to keep it from sticking. Cook pasta until just al dente. Drain pasta and add to soup.
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6
Add baby spinach. Stir soup with a wooden spoon. Cook until spinach is wilted and tender, about three minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
