For the Meatballs:

Melt butter or add oil to a Dutch oven. Add onions and saute over medium-low heat until golden brown, stirring often. Remove about a third to a medium-sized bowl for the meatballs. Reserve the rest in the pot for the soup and set aside.

Add ground beef, lamb or a mixture to the bowl with the onions, along with egg, two tablespoons rice, garlic, salt, and oregano. Mix together. Form into small meatballs no more than a scant inch across. A small scoop works well. Lightly roll meatballs in parsley. Set aside.

For the Soup:

When meatballs are nearly finished, add the broth and last two tablespoons rice to the Dutch oven. Bring to a good simmer, and once simmering, add the meatballs a few at a time. Turn down to a very low simmer, cover, and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender and meatballs are cooked through.

In the meantime, make the mixture to thicken the soup:

• Heat cream in a medium-sized saucepan, add cheese, and stir over low heat until the cheese is smooth and melted. In a small bowl or cup, mix the cornstarch with the water and add the slurry to the cheese mixture. It will become very thick.
• Whisking vigorously, adding about a cup and a half of the broth to the mixture. Allow to come just to a boil, whisking, until thickened. Turn off heat and add a little more broth if needed to thin the mixture so it will easily incorporate into the soup.

Skim any excess fat from the top of the soup. Add the cream/cheese/broth mixture to the soup, gently stirring, being careful not to break up the meatballs. Heat through, but do not boil.

To serve, pass bowls of the finely sliced green onions and additional shredded Parmesan.

* Note for my sister, I added the additional two tablespoons of rice to the broth, not original to to the recipe.