Visions of IKEA Dancing Through My Head

Happy IKEA visitors!

We love IKEA at the Clawson household.  It's just one of those fun places that the whole fam damily likes to visit any chance we get.  We usually make it our yearly "Beginning of Summer!" tradition each June as soon as the kids get out of school.  My brother Josh first introduced us to IKEA years ago when they lived in the Seattle area.   Since then we've hit every one we come across.  Maybe it's the maze you walk through to visit the store, or the fun kitchen gadgets, or the exciting "kids" stuff, the giant chocolate bars, or just the picture frames that make IKEA such an adventure, but one thing we never miss is the cafeteria.  We love picking out exactly what you want to eat, trying the lovely Swedish desserts, or the tangy Lingonberry juice, but I personally never get anything except a big heaping plate of Swedish Meatballs with boiled red potatoes, and Lingonberry Sauce.  Delicious is all I have to say.  We've even been known to stop at the IKEA in Salt Lake and just make a b-line to the cafeteria.  We missed the maze all together and enjoyed some lovely meatballs.  That's my kind of stop!

James has an older brother who served a mission years ago in Sweden and befriended a large family in one of his areas.  Their father had recently passed away and there was a beautiful mother with 5 perfect kids.  Over the years all of these friends have visited and even lived in Utah to attend college.  Now it's moved onto the next generation, since most of the children are married, and we have now included some wonderful spouses into our circle of friends!  The Lindahl's have always been so much fun to be around, and just recently one of the sisters and her husband joined the Clawson siblings in Kona HI for a week of fun in the sun.  I can say I love their guts, and they are some of the funnest people I know.  I have never asked if the Lindahl's have Swedish Meatballs at their home regularly, but if so........I'll be right over friends.  I've decided everything in Sweden must be wonderful.  The friends, the meatballs and have you had the chocolate!  Or even the little Bilar marshmallow-y candy.  Lovely!

I found this recipe yesterday while trying to figure what to make for dinner.  The recipe was simple enough, and I had a jar of Lingonberries in my fridge so I figured I would go for it.  They turned out DELISH!!!!  Oh my heck!  Everyone slurped these up so fast.  I served the meatballs with steamed New Potatoes, and steamed cabbage.  I have a new favorite invention.  Ziploc Zip and Steam Bags.  They are heaven on wheels and make cooking veggies so fast and easy.  Place cut up potatoes in the bag, seal, and 6-7 mins later they are done.  Cabbage only took 4 minutes.  No water, oil or anything.  Just lovely naked veggies that you can dress however you want.

So It you have visions of IKEA every once in a while at your house too, this recipe is a keeper.

Swedish Meatballs  

Courtesy of www.thisweekfordinner.com and then Lisa-ized

- 1 lb ground beef

- 1/2 lb ground pork

- 1/4 t pepper

- 2 t nutmeg (a must!  It adds so much goodness!)

- 2 t paprika

- 2 C bread crumbs

- 1/2 C milk

- 1 onion (medium) I just added 3 T. dried minced onion to the meat

- 2 1/2 t salt

- 1 t dry mustard

- 2 beaten eggs

Sauce:

- Fat left in skillet

- 1/4 t garlic

- 5 T butter

- 2 t tomato paste

- 1 t beef concentrate (or bouillon cube)

- 2 C bouillon or beef stock

-1/2 c. flour

- 1 C sour cream

Have meat ground together twice or mix really well. Soak bread crumbs in milk. Add meat – mix well. Mix in pepper, nutmeg, paprika, and beaten eggs.

In a large frying pan, saute onions in 2 T butter until soft. Add salt and dry mustard and stir. Add onion mixture to meat mixture and mix well. Form 48 small balls. Brown meatballs or better yet just bake them in a  375'F oven for about 15 mins.   Remove balls – set aside in a 9×13 baking pan.

Sauce: Add garlic and 1 T butter to fat left in skillet. Blend in 4 more Tbsp. butter, tomato paste and the 1/2 c. flour.  Stir until the flour has been cooked through.  Add the  beef concentrate, and beef stock. Stir mixture over low heat until it thickens slightly. Stir in 1 cup sour cream. Pour sauce over meatballs. Heat in moderate oven (I think baked them at 375 degrees) until hot and bubbly.  About 15 mins.  Serve meatballs with boiled new potatoes (or just Zip'n Steam them) and steamed cabbage.  I love vinegar and salt and pepper on my cabbage.  Lingonberry Sauce is also wonderful with these.  I've been able to find them sometimes at the regular grocery store by the pie filling and canned fruit.  Sometimes by the jam.   IKEA sells jars of it or you can order it online.  If you don't want to go to all that trouble just use cranberry sauce, or raspberry jam.  It's close enough and it will give you the same idea.  Enjoy!!

This recipe improves if made one day ahead.