Best Bites: Swedish Meatballs

By Donna Erickson

Whip Up Aunt Ina's Swedish Meatballs for the Holidays

My great-aunt Ina had no children of her own, so we always included her at holiday gatherings where we played endless rounds of Boggle and Scrabble and did lots of eating. She'd win the games, then happily drift into the kitchen to make her Swedish meatballs, a recipe passed on to her from her immigrant parents more than a century ago.

PHOTO CREDIT: Donna Erickson

Now that she is no longer with us, we find ourselves reminiscing about her when we pull out her recipe for our Christmas Eve smorgasbord. As we do, I root around in the fridge for eggs, beef and pork, then Mom gathers spices from the cupboard. Without a word being spoken, we both have similar thoughts remembering Aunt Ina and others who gathered around the warm kitchen in Christmases past.

Heirloom recipes and special traditions make the holiday season bright for families everywhere. "And they help us slow down," says Blake, an energetic 4th-grade teacher and father of four active kids under 11.

"Traditions aren't fast-moving. They call us to put our super-busy lifestyles aside and come together to do something that matters. When we prepare Grandma Signa's Julgrod (a Norwegian rice pudding), it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling. I'm passing along something from my heritage while connecting with the most important people in my life. It's real, and that's what counts," he explained.

Find a pause during your family life to celebrate your unique traditions this month. And if you are in need of a new one, I am sharing great-aunt Ina's Swedish meatball recipe with you. We serve ours with lingonberry sauce on the side, but you might prefer topping them with your favorite gravy or even a spicy barbecue sauce! Let's get rolling ...

AUNT INA'S SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Makes 48 meatballs

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1 egg, slightly beaten

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 cup breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs

• 1 large onion, grated

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• Pinch of pepper

Here's the fun: In a large bowl, let your child mix ingredients thoroughly for several minutes. Shape into firm 1-inch balls. Aunt Ina dipped her fingers in a bowl of cold water to make it easy.

Arrange on two rimmed cookie sheets. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes until lightly browned, rotating sheets halfway through.

Alternate Method: Place in an ovenproof frying pan with melted butter. An adult should fry them on medium heat, turning occasionally for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Then bake in a 350-F oven for 10 minutes.

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Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com.

(c) 2024 Donna Erickson

Distributed by King Features Synd.