Swedish Meatballs

I realized last night that the Olympics run for 17 days, not 14. I have to add 3 more recipes to my menu. Not a problem, I had picked 14 out of my list so I just need to go back and pick 3 more. It works out well too because there are 3 full weekends and it's a lot more fun to prepare an international meal and enjoy it on the weekend when you aren't rushed and are more likely to be enjoying some Olympic viewing at the same time.

Check out my complete Olympics menu and recipe here.

I got another meal into the freezer. Swedish Meatballs! It's pretty simple. You can cheat and buy low sodium, lean frozen meatballs and a can of beef gravy. To bump up the Swedishness, you can add some lingonberry sauce to the gravy. It can be found in jars in larger grocery stores. For those of you up north, lingonberries are also called partridge berries, red berries or low bush cranberries. I find they are less tart than cranberries.

Swedish Meatballs

Serves 4 -6

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a frying pan

Saute onion in pan until softened

Soak bread crumbs in milk for 5 minutes in a large bowl

Add onions and remaining 'meatball' ingredients except butter to bowl

Mix until just blended

Roll into 1/2 inch balls

Preheat oven to 350

Heat butter in frying pan over medium heat.

Brown meatballs on all sides

Meanwhile, melt 'sauce' butter in a saucepan over medium high heat

Whisk in flour until blended

Pour in broth and beer, whisk until blended

Heat until bubbly and thickened

Add in lingonberry sauce

As meatballs are browned, place in baking pan (lasagna style pan works well)

Pour sauce over meatballs and cook for 10 - 15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve with potatoes or pasta and steamed veggies.

Double the recipe! This will be a great meal to get on the table quick for the kids! Freeze in individual serving sizes for quick freezing and defrosting.