Cloudy With a 100% Chance of Meatballs!

Baby, it's cold outside! But, as my Grandpa Bishop used to say, "Could be worse." As usual, he was right, so we make the best of the weather by staying in and whipping up some tastiness.

Now, I do owe some major apologies for not posting on Thursdays. In starting a blog, I read that it is important to remain consistent on the days you post. I am shooting for Tasty Thursdays and Sweet Sundays but I missed out on Thursday. I have failed only two weeks in but it couldn't be helped. I was saving the world. Seriously. I was trying to rid the world of life threatening diseases and prevent a worldwide outbreak. It's true, really!! Well, as Nissa says, it's a half truth. Hubster and I were playing Pandemic, the board game. It's undeniably addicting and requires some major strategic planning. How did Hubster and I fare on our first attempt at disease extinction? Well, let's just say, it might be safer to stay inside, lock the doors, and wait until our next go round.

But all is good because it will give you a chance to make this delicious dinner. It's warm, creamy, hearty and so full of flavor, your stomach will thank you. You will be in a complete tastebud euphoria which will make you forget not only did I miss a day's blog, but that I also didn't save the world.

Swedish Meatball Soup

Ingredients

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP butter

8 oz egg noodles

1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Swedish Meatballs

3 slices toasted bread and torn into chunks

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 large onion

1# ground turkey (or, you could use ground beef. You could also use a combo of meats for extra meatballrific taste but I would always use the proportion of your base of 2/3 lb beef to 1/3 of another meat. Exp: 2/3 ground beef to 1/3 pork or bison or venison.)

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp all spice

Soup

6 TBSP butter

4 carrots, thinly slices

4 stalks of celery sliced

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup flour

8 cups turkey broth. (If you are using beef, use beef broth)

1 cup heavy cream and mix it with 2 TBSPs cornstarch

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400*. Prepare a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.

2.) To make the meatballs, you want to place the toasted and torn bread in a bowl with the 1/2 cup cream. Let sit for a good 15-20 minutes so the bread can absorb the cream. Place bread in a blender or food processor and pulse. It will look like a mushy mess. This is what you want. Transfer to a big bowl.

3.) While the bread is in soaking mode, heat the olive oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent and softened. About 5 minutes. Add to bowl with bread mush.

4.) To bread mush and onion bowl, add remaining meatball ingredients and mix. Form into 1 TBSP sized balls. It will make 40 small meatballs or 25-30 big meatballs.

5.) Melt 1 TBSP butter with 1 TBSP olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Work in batches. Don't crown the meatballs!! You will have a goopy mess Add a few meatballs and work them around so that they become seared on the outside. Place the seared ones on baking and sheet and continue with the rest. Once all meatballs are on baking sheet, bake in oven for about 15 minutes. The searing keeps the juices in. Yum, Yum.

6.) In Dutch oven, melt 5 TBSPs butter over medium heat and add carrots and celery. You could add mushrooms too but I have a mushroom hater in the house. Heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir ro 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and cook constantly for 3 minutes.

7.) Turn down heat to low and stir in broth followed by cream. Add the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Stir frequently because it will get thick and you don't want the bottom to burn. Stir for about 5 minutes.

8.) Add meatballs and cook on low with pot covered.

9.) Stir in sour cream followed by cooked noodles. (Here's my thoughts on noodles. I love them, but I love the meatballs more. A little noodle goes a long way and I thought that my original idea 8 ounces might have been too. I am going to add less next time.)

10.) Taste test and decide if you need more spices.

11.) Eat and get a full belly so that you, if you should feel so inclined, can help to save the world too. Soldier on, Friends.