SWEDISH MEATBALLS

RECIPES FOR DAYS WHEN YOU FEEL DOWN AND OUT, DOWN IN THE DUMPS AND DOWN IN THE MOUTH

There is something completely wonderful about meatballs. They are versatile, easy to make, fun to eat and go with just about everything. I never met a person who didn't like meatballs and I never met a meatball I didn't like. Of course, you don't need to make meatballs now because they come pre-made for you in nice big bags at the nice big stores (like Costco), but once in a while it's kind of satisfying to get your hands down into the meat and mix up a batch of meatballs of your own. That way you know what 's in them and you can make them as big or as small as you want them to be. Anyway, here is my recipe for meatballs. You can change them to be as spicy or bland as you want.

1 lb. hamburger (the more lean the hamburger you buy, the less flavor it will have. I buy ground round which is about 94% lean)

1 egg

1 pkg. dry onion soup (optional)

1 C. dry bread crumbs (plain or seasoned)

1 T. seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)

Mix the above ingredients together in a deep bowl until everything is absorbed into the meat. You have to do this with your hands, there is really no other way. Then form the meat into balls.

You can either bake the meatballs in the oven (350 degrees for approx. 20 minutes depending on the size or the meatballs) or you can cook them on the stove in a large heavy saucepan. I prefer cooking them on the stove. Here is how you do that:

Add some cooking oil to the pan, say about 2 T. Heat it up and place the meatballs in one by one so they don't crowd each other. Turn them as they brown so they brown on all sides. Once they are browned, add 2 T. water to the pan, turn down the heat to med-low, put on the lid and allow them to simmer until they are cooked completely. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

If you opt to bake your meatballs, you will want to cover them with foil so they don't get too browned and dried out.

In a separate bowl, mix up the sauce you want to put over your meatballs. Here is the recipe I use:

1 large can of Cream of Chicken soup

1 C. sour cream

1 T. Soy Sauce sauce (Does adding soy sauce make these Chinese-Swedish Meatballs? I'll leave taht up to you to decide)

Cream these together well with a wire whip.

Next, prepare something to put your meatballs over. I like to use mashed potatoes, but you can also use rice or noodles and it is just as good; it's simply a matter of preference. If you want, you can make your mashed potatoes from scratch which is always the purist thing to do, but to save time I use boxed mashed potatoes and make them according to package directions, usually the Chive and Garlic kind, and they are perfectly good. Spread them in a shallow dish.

After your meatballs have finished cooking, drain them and let them sit on folded paper towels to get rid of the fat that might be left on them. Sometimes I even put them on a dish towel which absorbs a lot more of the fat.

Add them to the sauce and put over your potatoes, rice or whatever you decide to use.




And there you go! There will be smiles and happiness all around when you serve these. One recipe will be enough for 4-6 people. This is an easy recipe and one that will bring smiles and happiness when you serve it. Enjoy!