Local Mom, Pillsbury Bake-Off Semi-Finalist Shares Soup Recipe

Kim Van Dunk of Caldwell is vying for the million dollar prize in the 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off.

Van Dunk's recipe for meatball breadstick sub skewers is one of 60 semifinalists in the Amazing Doable Dinners category of the competition. America can vote for Van Dunk and move her on to the final round in Las Vegas, where the grand prize will be $1 million!

The local mom shared a favorite soup recipe with Patch. She said soup is one of her favorite things to cook because it's affordable and you can use a lot of vegetables. Enjoy! 

Meatball & Kale Soup

Meatballs

1 package ground turkey (about 1 and 1/3 pound)

2 slices bread

about 1/3 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

3 T dried parsley flakes

Soup

1 T olive oil

5 carrots cut into rounds

4 celery ribs, sliced

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3/4 cup brown rice (uncooked)

2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups finely chopped kale (leaves, no stems)

12-16 cups broth or water

salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion and olive oil in large stock pot for 3 to 4 minutes (over medium heat).
2. Add in all of the soup ingredients, except the kale.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Make the meatballs by soaking the bread and milk in a bowl. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Mash up the bread with a fork.
5. Lightly beat the egg. Stir the egg, salt, pepper and parsley into the bread mixture (it will look like a paste).
6. Mix the ground meat with the bread mixture.
7. Make small meatballs and drop them directly into the soup to cook.
8. Once the soup begins to boil, reduce to a low-boil and cook for 45-60 minutes.
9. Stir in the chopped kale during the last 5 minutes of cooking.