Swedish Meatballs ~ A Fall Welcome

In our house, Fall is “where it’s at”.  Pretty sure my husband and I started daydreaming about Fall in mid-June of this year. My hubs, who has always been a huge fan of the Fall-into-Winter Season, has definitely influenced my love of the cooler months, but even more so, the birth of our son in November 2012 really formed my Autumn devotion.  Nowadays, just the mention of warm soups and yellowing leaves sends waves of nostalgia over my body.  

During my entire pregnancy with Noah my afternoons would almost always include a lingering walk . Sometimes I would sing to him, but mainly I would talk about how excited I was to meet him, how things were coming along with his nursery, or just that particular day’s goings-on.  These walks were measured and slow but I was dedicated.  It became my ritual, and on days that I didn’t walk, I felt as if I had missed out on a conversation with my son. 

Our walks became even more languid as my pregnancy rolled on and my belly became considerable, but as the cooler weather signaled the entrance of Autumn, our conversations became more excited.  After all, it was nearing time for Noah and I to meet face to face.  Leaves began to gather in the streets that we had walked the many months before, and pumpkins and other fall décor started to pop up here and there in our neighborhood.  Our conversations turned to Halloweens to come, watching Football games over hot chili, S’mores in the backyard, trips to the mountains, and Thanksgivings with “Our Nation of Three”. This was such a special moment in time for me.  This small bit of time when Noah was all mine and I didn’t have to share him with anyone.  This time during the Fall of 2012 will forever dance upon my heart each and every Autumn for the rest of my life. 

As Fall once again makes her entrance, I start to think about cool weather foods.  I know many minds wander to foods such as pot-roasts or meatloaf, and I love those as well, but one of the first things that comes to my mind when thinking of cold weather meals are Swedish Meatballs.  The fragrant nutmeg and allspice scented meatballs coated in brown gravy over egg noodles are just what’s necessary to finish off a gray sky day full of colored leaves and football games.  With the holidays just peeking right around the corner, it’s time to eat at home, enjoy your loved ones, and worry just a bit less about the waist-line. 

One side-note; this recipe is a take on my mom’s recipe, which I can only assume came down from my Grandmother.  I add a little more allspice and nutmeg than the recipe calls for most times because I love the flavors, and instead of making small ½ inch - 1 inch meatballs which is the norm for Swedish Meatballs, I like to make 1-2 inch meatballs.  Making a larger meatball can make the browning process a bit cumbersome, but it’s just how I prefer them, and its how mom made them.  You can make small meatballs, but make sure to cut down on your baking time so that they are not dry.

 

Ingredients & Instructions:

2 Slices White Bread
¼ C. Milk
8 Tbsp. Butter
½ C. Finely Chopped Onion
¾ Lb. Ground Chuck
¾ Lb. Ground Pork
2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
½ tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp. Allspice (plus extra for sauce)
¼ tsp. Nutmeg (plus extra for sauce)
¼ C. All-Purpose Flour
3-4 C. Beef Broth
¼ C. Heavy Cream
1-2 Tbsp. Ketchup
¼ tsp. Chili Powder

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees.

Tear bread into very small pieces and set aside in a large bowl with the milk to soak.

Melt 1-2 Tbsp. of butter in a sauté pan on medium heat and sauté the onions.  Once they onions become translucent, add to the bowl with the bread and milk.  Add pork, beef, eggs, salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg to the bowl and gently mix all ingredients together with hands.  Knead, but don’t “squish” the meat or the meatballs may end up being tough.  Form 1-2 Inch meatballs and place on a sheet pan. 

Add 3-4 Tbsp. of butter to the sauté pan and cook meatballs a few batches at a time turning every minute or two until the outsides are browned.  Remove the meatballs from the pan, and place back onto the sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. 

While the meatballs are baking, add an additional 2-3 Tbsp. of butter to the sauté pan that the meatballs cooked in and then add the flour to make a roux.  Once the roux has turned blonde, add in the beef stock, ketchup, chili powder, and additional nutmeg and allspice, salt and pepper to taste.  When sauce is thickened, add cream.  Remove meatballs from the oven and place in the gravy to coat. Serve family style or on plates over egg noodles.

I have read a few recipes that call for adding sour cream instead of heavy cream at the end.  I have not tried this, but how bad could it possibly be?  I might have to try out this substitute next time, but thought I’d put the suggestion out there in case anyone would like to try it, or maybe has already tried it.

Happy Fall Everyone!