IKEA's Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2/3 lb lean ground beef
• 1/3 lb ground lean pork
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Gravy:
4 tablespoons butter
4- 5 tablespoons flour
3-4 cups beef stock

Directions:

1. Saute onions in oil until translucent. Set aside and let cool.
2. Combine breadcrumbs and milk, let soak for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine onions, breadcrumbs, milk egg, meat and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Form tablespoon of the meat mixture into balls.
4. Line meatballs on baking sheet at least an inch apart and bake for 35- 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
5. To make gravy, melt butter and add flour and let brown slightly. Add stock about 1 cup at a time while whisking constantly until it's gravy!
   
6. Serve meatballs with gravy, boiled or mashed potatoes and maybe even some lingonberry jam!

Real Housewives of NJ's Caroline Manzo's Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup – QUICKIE VERSION!!!!

Usually the base for the soup is home made chicken soup, but this is quick and easy.

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 ½ lbs ground beef, pork, veal

5 good sized garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

Handful of grated cheese Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Salt & pepper to taste

3 slices white bread, crust cut off, broken up

Combine all ingredients and then shape mixture into small balls, about 1” in diameter. Place on cookie sheet or plate and put in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Mixture should make about 50 meatballs.

Soup:

11 Cups Chicken Broth

1 sweet basil leaf

½ cup carrots chopped

½ cup celery chopped

1 medium sized onion chopped

1 pound escarole (you can also use spinach)

salt and pepper to taste

fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large soup pot sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in oil about 2 to 3 minutes

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium to high heat.

Add meatballs and escarole and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and escarole is tender.

Now you have to options here, you can add egg and cheese or pasta. Don’t do both because it’s too much.

If you’re going to add egg and cheese get two large eggs and wisk them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.

Stir the soup in a slow circular motion, gradually drizzle egg and cheese mixture into broth gently allowing it to blend.

If you’re going with the pasta option use a small grade pasta like Acini de Pepe or Orzo.

I usally use about ½ lb of pasta and throw it right into the broth and let it cook out, usually about 10 minutes.

Whatever your choice add grated cheese to garnish, and a little garlic bread on the side doesn’t hurt either!