Swedish Meatballs & Gravy

What is heartier for your hungry brood than Swedish meatballs with gravy, potatoes (of any variety), and a steamed fresh vegetable? Nothing. At least for tonight's dinner.

Grandma had a lot of Scandinavian friends and they all had a different recipe for this comfort food.  Some used a mixture of pork, beef, and veal. Some used only beef. But the best one came from Grandma's friend and neighbor Jennie--remember that amazing Carrot Cake from a few weeks back? Yes, that one. Need I say more?

Try these and remember as you're going through the process of lovingly preparing all these recipes from Grandma's collection that the extra steps--and, perhaps, extra trouble--to make these from scratch, your family will remember sitting at the table and enjoying a delicious dinner together. It's part of that discussion about family companionship and sharing food. It equals love, comfort, and memories in the making!

Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar)

2-3 Tbsp butter
½ lb ground beef
½ lb ground pork
½ cup bread crumbs
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp onion, chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Gravy:
1 Tbsp flour
¾-1 cup cream or milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet and sauté onions until golden brown. Soak bread crumbs in milk. Add meat, egg, onion, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly until smooth. Shape into balls. Fry in butter until browned evenly. Remove each batch to saucepan and clear skillet with a little water, before starting next batch, saving pan juices each time. 

When all meatballs are fried, mix flour and cream add to pan juices, stirring constantly, and simmer 10 minutes. Add more milk or cream if too thick and season to taste. Place meatballs in deep serving dish and pour gravy over. 

These freeze beautifully! Make the meatballs and put in freezer bag to freeze until you're ready to cook them!