Holiday cooking is around the corner!! I will be making Swedish Meatballs, a traditional recipe inspired by both of my beautiful Swedish and Norwegian Grandmas and adapted from the original Erikson’s Swedish Deli in Chicago. Sadly this famous Swedish Deli closed a few years back, but the recipe lives on every St. Lucia Day and Christmas Eve at my house and brings me back to my childhood holiday celebrations.
Swedish Meatballs are a labor of love. They are very time consuming to make and it has taken me years to get it just right. It occurred to me a few years back that the only ingredient that was pre-made in my recipe was the beef broth. Like most of our favorite traditional holiday recipes, beef, vegetable or chicken broth are often a key ingredient. I want my dish to be as fresh and authentic as possible. So why use a pre-made broth when it is so easy to make my own!!
I save slightly wilted veggies and veggie scraps, beef, pork and chicken bones in my freezer or fridge until I have collected enough to make a broth.
Pop in the crockpot with plenty of water and a bit of salt n’ pepper and simmer for about 8-12 hours. Use immediately or store in mason jars in the freezer for when needed. Voila… delicious broth sans sodium and icky preservatives. Making your holiday recipes even more delicious, authentic and healthy!
Carlene Haavig Yoga 