Christmas in Virginia

With the new job this year, I wasn't able to make it home for Christmas. Thankfully my fiance was staying home as well. We had our first Christmas together in our home! Even though I was not able to make it home, I planned to carry on a family tradition of Swedish Meatballs for Christmas Eve dinner. Only problem is--the recipe is made with a sauce that we buy at a store in Minnesota... so I had to search for a recipe. Pinterest is my best friend. I found a copy cat Ikea Swedish Meatballs recipe... I have had the Ikea meatballs in the past and enjoyed them, so what the heck, it was worth a try.  They turned out lovely! Here is the recipe, and a pic of me and the man enjoying our Christmas Eve dindin. ps, i dont know what is wrong with the original post and the numbering, but i wasn't having any luck fixing it... So it is what it is. :)

My Swedish Christmas Eve Dinner

IKEA’s Swedish Meatball Recipe (Knock-Off)

Ingredients

• Meatballs
• (Makes about 35-40 1" meatballs. Make double to freeze a batch for later!)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/3 cup white onion, mince (or a couple TBS. of dry minced onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp. pre-minced garlic)
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb. lean ground pork
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg white, beaten
• Gravy
• (Makes just enough to cover the meatballs, if you want extra to serve over noodles, double/triple gravy recipe.)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• Parsley (optional - garnish)

Instructions

To make the meatballs, heat the butter, in a skillet, over medium heat. 

1. Saute the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and white pepper, for about 5 minutes, or until garlic and onions are soft. (I just used dry minced onion, so I just cooked it for about a minute.)
2. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce to the mixture, and bring to a simmer.
3. Dump the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
4. Pour the hot skillet mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir together.
5. Add the beef, pork, 1 egg and 1 egg white to the bowl, and mix until combined. (It's easiest to use your hands and squish everything together for about 5 minutes.)
6. Spray a sheet pan to grease, and roll the meat into 1 inch balls, and place on a baking sheet. One recipe makes about 35-40 meatballs.
7. Cover your sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the meatballs for about an hour. (I stuck them in the freezer for about 25 minutes.) Heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
8. To make the gravy, melt the butter in a skillet and add the flour.
9. Cook for a few minutes while whisking.
10. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bring to
11. a simmer.
12. Finally, add the he
13. avy cream and the cooked meatballs. Let simmer, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
14. Serve as is, or on top of a bed of rice, noodles, or potatoes.
15. Garnish with parsley.