Swedish Meatballs

Sometimes in life you come across a recipe that looks like a joke.  With ingredients like sour cream, grape jelly, gingersnap cookies, and dill pickles your recipe looks like something that two fifth-grade boys concocted as a dare.  Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you SWEDISH MEATBALLS! 

Swedish Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork
4 T. butter, divided

1 egg

2 slices torn bread soaked briefly in 1/4 c. milk and squeezed of all excess liquid

1 t. allspice

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T. flour

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. beef stock

5 gingersnap cookies, finely ground

2 T. grape jelly

2 T. sour cream

1 lb. no-yolk egg noodles

4 T. dried parsley

6 dill pickle chips, diced

1. Combine meats, egg, milk-soaked bread, and allspice in mixing bowl.

2.  Melt 2 T. butter in large saucepan.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Sprinkle flour over the pan and stir to incorporate.

3. Whisk in chicken stock and beef stock.  Stir in ground gingersnaps (I grind mine in a coffee grinder...) Bring to a bubble to thicken.  Stir in sour cream and grape jelly.

4. Form meat mixture into walnut-sized balls.  (I use a cookie dough scoop...)  Drop meatballs into pan of gravy.  Bring sauce to a light simmer and let meatballs cook - about 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  You will want to wait longer than you think (3-4 minutes) before stirring for the first time - you want to allow meatballs to cook on the bottom or they will fall apart when you move them. (Also, I apologize for the ghastliness of this photo...)

5. Cook egg noodles according to package.  Drain.

6.  Toss cooked noodles with 2 T. butter, dried parsley, and chopped dill pickles.  Serve gravy and meatballs over noodles.  I didn't have a chance to take a picture of the plated finished product - I was too hungry :)

Enjoy!