Swedish Meatballs

I have been on a taco kick recently & we have been cycling through all of my go-to recipes. So, I wanted to shake it up with something a little different last night - Swedish Meatballs! I found this recipe by Ahead of Thyme (LINK) and made a few minor tweaks to accommodate what I had on hand, it was outstanding. 

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs 
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 of a medium onion chopped finely
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• two tiny pinches of ground cinnamon
• one tiny pinch of ground nutmeg
• one tiny pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cups water + healthy sprinkle (about 2 Tbsp) of caldo de res seasoning (or 2 cups of beef broth)
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 

1. Mix together the first 11 ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine well with your hands. 

2. Take a hefty spoonful, or pinch a good chunk off, and roll into meatballs. Set aside. 

3. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium high for a few minutes until melted butter is sizzling hot. Add meatballs & cook until brown. Turn them GENTLY & regularly to get brown on all edges. Then, set aside. 

4. Now, add the olive oil to that buttery meatball crumble goodness. Let heat for about a minute, until it's all sizzling hot again. Then, whisk in flour. I let it bubble & thicken into a good tan roux. 

5. Next, whisk in the water + caldo de res (or beef broth) & sour cream. Keep whisking frequently for another couple of minutes until it's all starting to thicken. 

6. Stir in dijon mustard & Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt & pepper, taste & adjust seasonings. 

7. Add meatballs back into the skillet (carefully-ish, I broke a couple) & stir about to coat well. Cover the skillet & continue cooking over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through - approximately 5-10 minutes. Meat thermometer should read at least 165*F in the center of the meatballs. 

8. Remove lid & continue to stir the cream sauce until it's the desired consistency. We like it thick! 

Serve over cooked egg noodles or zucchini noodles for lower carb option.
Full keto/low carb - switch the bread crumbs & flour for almond flour or crushed pork rinds!

I also served this with frozen peas, boiled with 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 cup of water, healthy sprinkle of caldo de res bouillon, and a healthy sprinkle of our favorite steak seasoning.