Mexican Pizza

If you've ever had a Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell and LOVED it, you're gonna want to try this recipe. It's a compilation of several recipes I found on Pinterest. I'll have to figure out which ones I used and link them back here so that you can see the "original" recipes. :) 

Better than Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

8 taco sized flour tortillas

Pam cooking spray or canola oil

1 14oz can refried beans

1 lb ground beef

1/2 pkg taco seasoning (or homemade)

Taco Bell mild sauce (or any strength you prefer.. I found it in a bottle at Walmart)

picante sauce or salsa

2 c shredded cheddar cheese (more or less)

1 chopped tomato

1 chopped green onion

Heat oven to 400* and line a baking sheet with foil. Use a fork to poke a few holes in each tortilla so that they don't puff up too much while baking. Lightly spray (or brush) tortillas with Pam or oil and bake (only two at a time fit on my sheet) 6 minutes per side, until golden brown and crunchy. If they puff up just smash them down with a spatula. Set aside to cool and repeat with other tortillas.

Brown ground beef, drain, and season with taco seasoning and a little water. You could also follow the instructions on the taco seasoning package but I don't bother with that. Set aside and keep warm.

Warm refried beans so that they spread easily. Spread a big spoonful of beans on one tortilla, scoop 1/4 of the meat on top and spread it out too. Next, top it with another baked tortilla. Gently press it down. 

Spread a big tablespoon of picante sauce on the top tortilla, pour on some Taco Bell sauce and spread it out to the edge. Toss on some diced tomato. Top with a big handful of shredded cheddar cheese and a little chopped green onion.

Heat under the broiler to melt the cheese, cut into fourths, and ENJOY! This recipe makes 4 Mexican Pizzas. 

Kung Pao Shrimp (or Chicken)

I went to dinner at PF Chang's with a group of girlfriends last weekend. Two friends ordered Kung Pao dishes. I tried a bite of both dishes and now I am in love with the chili, garlic flavor of Kung Pao! Not only do I have a new favorite dish to eat THERE, I have a new favorite recipe to fix at home. Give it a try:

1/2 c soy sauce

4 T water

1/2 t hot chili sesame oil (or regular sesame oil)

1 t balsamic vinegar

2 t brown sugar

1 t cornstarch

1 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed and drained

            (or chicken breast cut into small chunks, seasoned with salt & pepper)

1/2 c cornstarch

6 T coconut oil

2-3 t ground fresh chili paste (found at asian market) or Sriracha

1/3 c onion, large diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

handful of dry roasted peanuts

2-3 green onions, chopped

Steamed rice for serving

Combine first six ingredients in a small bowl, whisk and set aside. This is the slurry that will make the sauce.

Combine coconut oil (warm it up to liquify if needed) and chili paste in a small bowl and set aside.

Place shrimp (or chicken) in a large ziplock bag with 1/2 c cornstarch, toss to coat and shake off excess in a mesh strainer. You want a light coating of cornstarch on the shrimp (or chicken) to give it a little bit of crunch after frying.

Warm 2 T of coconut chili oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Toss in half of the shrimp and fry lightly until pink.. just a couple of minutes. Spoon out onto a plate and keep warm while you fry the other half in another 2 T of chili oil. If you're using chicken just make sure it's cooked through but not overcooked (that makes sense, right?), also in two batches. You don't want to crowd the skillet :)

After all meat is fried and set aside, add the last 2 T of chili oil to the skillet (you don't need to rinse the skillet). Sauté the onions and garlic for a few minutes, until soft. Pour in the slurry. Cooking about 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until it's thickened and glossy. 

When you're ready to serve, toss in shrimp (or chicken), peanuts and green onions and stir to coat. Serve immediately atop steamed rice. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Pizza Burgers with Homemade Pizza Sauce

We love pizza. We love burgers. We love pizza burgers! I saw the original recipe on www.thepioneerwomancooks.com and tweaked it a little bit. If you don't like this version you can try Ree's <3

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground italian sausage

1 t italian seasoning 

one package of sliced pepperoni (you won't use it all.. or you shouldn't)

12 slices mozzarella cheese

6 ciabatta rolls

6 T butter, softened

garlic salt to taste

*sauteed onions, peppers, mushrooms (if you like these things) & sliced ripe olives

homemade pizza sauce (recipe below.. make your pizza sauce beforehand so it has time to sit and cool a bit.)

Homemade Pizza Sauce 

2 T olive oil

4-5 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (no jarred stuff)

28oz crushed tomatoes in puree

1 T freeze dried basil

1/2 t oregano

1/4 t salt

Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Sauté garlic for about a minute then pour in tomatoes and seasonings. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. I like to let it sit so the flavors combine!

*Slice and sauté your veggies ahead of time too so they're ready for assembly.

Pizza Burgers

Combine ground beef, italian sausage and italian seasoning. Mash it all together and mix it up with your hands. Form into 6 patties. Heat large skillet or griddle to medium and cook patties until they are cooked through, probably 10-12 minutes (no pink allowed since there's sausage involved!). Flip them several times but don't smash them down too much while cooking. Once they're fully cooked, top each patty with 5-6 slices of pepperoni (or more) and two slices of cheese and let it melt a little on the griddle.

Turn oven to broil. Split each ciabatta roll and smear with butter (you can use more or less butter) and sprinkle with season salt. Toast it under the broiler until golden brown.

Assemble burgers like this: bottom bun, a spoonful of sauce, a burger patty, any toppings you like, another spoonful of sauce, top bun. Devour.

Makes 6 burgers. Enjoy! 

Beef Ravioli with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Cooler weather is coming soon! Fall is my favorite time of year. As soon as the temperatures drop I start cooking "comfort" food (and put away the swimsuits). This ravioli recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dinner but fancy enough to serve to guests. Plus, it's great reheated.. if there's any leftover ;)

1 package (25oz) frozen *beef ravioli
4 T butter
1 package (8oz) fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 c onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken broth
3 T cream cheese
1 c half & half
salt & pepper to taste
3 T fresh basil, minced
1/2 c fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the ravioli according to the package directions, drain, and rinse. That will keep it from sticking together. Set aside.

Melt 2 T butter in a deep skillet and sauté mushrooms over medium heat, until caramelized. You want them to let out most of their moisture. Once they're nice and golden, add in the other 2 T of butter and the onion. Sauté 2-3 minutes then add in the garlic and sauté another minute or so. 

Pour in the chicken broth, stir and let simmer about 10 minutes to reduce down. Then, stir in cream cheese and let it melt. Next, pour in the half & half and simmer to reduce, about 5 minutes. Stir in fresh basil and parmesan, season with salt & pepper to taste. Add cooked ravioli to the sauce and stir gently to combine. You can serve it immediately or let it sit a while on low. The sauce will thicken as it stands. Serves 4 amply. Enjoy!

*You could use any ravioli you prefer. Next time I might try chicken and spinach! 

Whole Wheat Lasagna

More comfort food! Here's a healthier version of lasagna that tastes totally unhealthy :)

First, make the turkey spaghetti sauce. It's much healthier than jarred or canned sauce. This recipe makes twelve cups so you can freeze the leftovers for another lasagna or serve it over whole wheat pasta:

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Turkey

2 lb ground turkey

2 T olive oil
1 c onion
3 oz baby carrots
3-4 cloves garlic
28oz diced tomatoes
29oz tomato sauce
12oz tomato paste
2 c water
3 t fresh basil (or the stuff in the tube)
2 t dried parsley
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 c red wine

Process onion, carrots and garlic in food processor until finely chopped. (I do this to "hide" veggies for the family I cook for. The kids love spaghetti and don't know it's full of the good stuff!) Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat and cook ground turkey, drain, return to pot and add veggies. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until tender. Add all tomatoes, water, spices and stir well. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low. Add in wine. Simmer on low 1-2 hours (or longer) stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn! Makes 12 - one cup servings.  Serve over whole wheat pasta or use in lasagna. 

Whole Wheat Lasagna with Turkey

4 cups Spaghetti Sauce with turkey

6 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked per package directions

1 1/2 cups 2% cottage cheese

8 slices part skim mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Here are the layers:

Scoop one cup of sauce into an 8x8 baking dish. 

Layer 3 noodles (trim off 1/3 of noodles to save for another layer) on top of sauce. 

Top with 1/2 c of cottage cheese and spread evenly. 

Top with another cup of sauce,

Then 4 slices of cheese to cover. 

Layer 3 more trimmed noodles, 

Then 1/2 c cottage cheese,

Then another cup of sauce (no mozzarella on this layer). 

Use the 6 trimmed pieces of noodle to make the last layer. 

Top with 1/2 c cottage cheese, one cup of sauce and 4 slices of mozzarella. 

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into 4 servings. Enjoy!

Salmon Patties

It's always fun to update a "comfort food" classic to a "clean eating" recipe. I grew up eating salmon patties and they definitely remind me of my childhood. I made a few small changes to my mom's classic recipe:

1 15oz can of red or pink salmon

1/2 c whole wheat bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/4 c minced red onion

1 t parsley

1 t lemon juice

1/4 t Old Bay Seasoning

Coconut oil (optional)

Drain salmon and reserve the broth. You can leave the skin and bones in the meat if you want (it's perfectly edible) but I like to remove as much skin as I can and at least remove the larger round bones. Flake salmon with fork in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add bread crumbs (I made my own in the mini food processor from one slice of whole wheat bread), eggs, onion, lemon juice and Old Bay. Mix ingredients well. Form into 1/4 cup patties. If they won't hold together and are a little crumbly, add in a little bit of the reserved broth. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat. I used a tiny bit of coconut oil to "fry" them but it's not necessary. Fry about 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. Makes 8 cakes (four servings) Enjoy!

Roasted Cod with Edamame

Here's another "clean eating" recipe to try. It's really easy and has a lot of fresh flavors. You could substitute any firm, white fish for the cod like halibut or mahi mahi. You could also use lima beans or white kidney beans!

4 4oz cod filets

2 c frozen edamame (whole soybeans)

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

dried parsley

crushed red pepper

4 t olive oil, divided

8 T white wine, divided

fresh squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Lay out 4 pieces of foil (about 15" long) and place 1/2 c of edamame on each piece. Add 1 t garlic to each pile, salt and pepper and 1 t olive oil. Toss to combine. Lay one piece of cod on each pile of edamame, season with parsley, more salt, and crushed red pepper. Dribble 2 T white wine over each filet of cod. Fold foil into a packet, bringing long edges together first and fold down twice, then bring up short sides folding two or three times, sealing all sides to keep steam in while baking. Place packets on cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. To serve, open packets and pour contents into serving bowls, squeeze fresh lemon on top if you like. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Everyone has a favorite recipe for Spaghetti & Meatballs. Here's mine:

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

2 T olive oil
1 c onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes in puree
2 c beef broth
3 t fresh or freeze dried basil
2 t dried parsley
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes until tender. Add all tomatoes, broth, spices and stir well. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low 1-2 hours (or longer) stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn! Makes about 10 one cup servings. It freezes well too!

Beef Meatballs

1 lb lean ground beef

1 egg

2 T milk

1/4 c bread crumbs (I use one slice of whole wheat, processed into crumbs)

1/4 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t kosher salt

1/4 t pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients (except the beef) and mix well. Add in beef and mix with fork or your hands. Make 20 meatballs (I use a small cookie scoop so they're about 1 1/2" each). Bake 20 minutes. Add to sauce, after it's ready, and keep warm. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmigiana

This meal is a crowd pleaser! I found the original recipe on www.thepioneerwoman.com years ago and have adjusted the portions to feed 2 people (plus leftovers). This is definitely one of Drew's most requested dinners.

6 chicken breast tenderloins, pounded flat

1/2 c flour

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 c olive oil

2 T butter

1/2 c onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c red wine

28oz can crushed tomatoes

1 T sugar

1 T dried parsley

1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (buy the chunk and grate it yourself!)

1/2 pound thin spaghetti, cooked

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and dredge chicken pieces. When skillet is hot, fry three pieces of chicken at a time until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and stir gently for 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping any brown bits from pan, and cook down to reduce wine by half (about 3 minutes). Add crushed tomatoes, stir well, add sugar, and salt to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, boil your pasta and drain just before serving. Once sauce is ready, stir in parsley.

Lay chicken breasts on top of sauce and top with grated cheese. Put the lid on the skillet and simmer on low until chicken is heated and cheese is melted. 

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken on top and serve. Serves 2-3. Enjoy!

Spaghetti al Tonno e Limone

This recipe is from my friend Ashley who lived and studied in Italy. She shared it with me a few years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite summer dishes. I love to use the fresh basil and tomatoes that I grow in my container garden. Don't let the "tuna" scare you away, it is divine!

2 T olive oil

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 handfuls cherry tomatoes (or a medium fresh tomato, seeded and diced)

1 can tuna packed in olive oil

handful toasted pine nuts

1/3 pound thin spaghetti

2 lemons

handful fresh basil

parmigiano-reggiano

Caramelize onion in olive oil over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. This can be a time consuming process.. about 20-30 minutes. Add sliced garlic and tomatoes to brown at the end of the caramelization process. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti and leave it in the water (don't drain). Turn the heat on the onions and garlic down and add toasted pine nuts and salt to taste. Then add the tuna (don't drain olive oil- it belongs in the sauce!) to the pan to warm- it's fine if it browns a bit, just don't burn the garlic. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan and squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons over the pasta. Then, add basil and stir well. The sauce should be light, but definitely there, so that the pasta is pretty wet. If the pasta seems dry, add a little bit of the pasta cooking water. Taste and salt some more if necessary. Grate fresh parmigiano-reggiano over the top. This is a great summer dish. It may take you a few times to decide what flavors are the best to emphasize. Serves two, amply. Enjoy!

Asian Pork Tenderloin

I found the original recipe for this Asian Pork Tenderloin on Pinterest and was directed to For the Love of Cooking. I love her site! The recipe has become one of my go-to meals for pork. I serve it over fried rice with steamed veggies. 

2/3 c low sodium soy sauce (the regular stuff is WAY too salty for this marinade)
1/4 c sesame oil
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb pork tenderloin
green onions for garnish


Combine the first six ingredients and pour over pork tenderloin in a gallon size baggie. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning a couple of times. 


Heat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking pan and/or skillet with non-stick spray. Heat skillet to medium high heat. Remove pork from marinade and discard (or transfer marinade to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil and use it as a sauce.. I skipped this step). Sear pork on all sides for a total of about 5 minutes. Place skillet in oven (or transfer seared pork to baking pan if your skillet isn't oven-safe) and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing into medallions. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serves four. Enjoy!

Fried Rice

Fried Rice can be made into a meal by itself or cooked as a side dish for grilled or roasted meat. The recipe below is just a place to start. Add your own diced chicken, shrimp, beef, scallops, etc. to make it a meal in one pan. The key to Fried Rice that isn't sticky is the rice you use. Minute Rice or boiled long grain rice can clump and gaum up. BUT Success Rice is parboiled then portioned into boil-in-bags so that the grains stay separate. Genius! 

2 bags Success Rice
2-3 T butter
1/4 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 eggs
soy sauce to taste
black pepper to taste 
sesame oil to taste
toasted sesame seeds
chopped green onions for garnish

Cook the rice according to package directions and allow to drain for a couple of hours. You want the rice to dry out a little in its plastic bag. If you're in a hurry you can always go ahead and use it but I like the results of letting it sit for a while. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. (Add-ins would go here before the veggies) Add in onions and garlic and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Break in eggs, one at a time, and stir well to scramble them a bit, cook for about a minute. Dump all of the rice into the skillet and toss it with the veggies and eggs. Season with a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce and turn the heat to medium high. Toss it every couple of minutes but also give it time to cook and make a crust in parts. You want the rice to get a little browned in areas. The crunchy parts have great flavor! When it's browned to your liking drizzle in a couple teaspoons of sesame oil and a couple of dashes of sesame seeds and toss. There's no "wrong way" to do it! Serves two as an entree or four as a side dish. Enjoy!

*Optional add-ins:
Cubed, raw chicken
Cubed, raw steak
Peeled, raw shrimp
(sauté in the butter before adding the veggies)

Diced zucchini
Diced carrots
Edamame or green peas
chopped, steamed asparagus
chopped, steamed broccoli
(sauté in the butter before adding the egg and rice)

Swiss Cheese Chicken & Stuffing

My friend Jennifer made this for a Christmas party a few years ago and we loved it so much I had to get the recipe! It's an easy way to have Chicken and Dressing any night of the week. I usually serve it with green beans and hot rolls.

8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Lawry's seasoned salt and black pepper
4 slices baby swiss cheese, halved
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
1/3 can milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 c warm water
1 small box Stovetop Chicken stuffing mix

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange chicken in pan and season to taste with seasoned salt and black pepper. Top each tenderloin with a 1/2 slice of cheese. Combine soup and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour soup over chicken to cover tenders entirely. Combine melted butter and Stovetop in a small bowl (moisten a little more with more warm water if it seems too dry) and scoop over top of chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Chicken & Spinach Enchiladas

At the request of several friends: Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas! As usual, it's a combination of a few different recipes that I've used over the years. I like to add spinach to boost the veggie rating :)

10 corn tortillas 
3 T vegetable oil 
6 pieces chicken breast tenderloin 
1 T olive oil 
1/2 c onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped 
3 handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped 
1/4 t salt 
1/4 t ground cumin 
1/4 t chili powder 
1/4 t black pepper 
1 c shredded cheddar cheese 
1 c sour cream 
2 T butter (not margarine) 
2 T flour 
1 1/2 c chicken broth 

Fry corn tortillas in vegetable oil, about 15 seconds per side, and drain on papertowels. Pour extra oil from skillet and set aside. In a med saucepan, cover chicken pieces with water, bring to boil and cook over med heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. While chicken cooks, heat olive oil in skillet over med heat and sauté onion about 3 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno and spinach to skillet and sauté another 3 minutes. Transfer cooked veggies to mixing bowl. 

Once chicken is cooked, shred into small pieces and add to veggies in mixing bowl. (I usually lay the chicken on a cutting board one piece at a time and shred it using two forks, pulling in opposite directions). Season the chicken and veggies with salt, cumin, chili powder and pepper (I eyeball it with my spices but 1/4 t is a good place to start.. add more to your liking.. add a dash of cayenne if you like things spicy). Add in 1/2 c of shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup sour cream and mix well. Assemble echiladas by scooping 1/4 c (approx) into the center of each tortilla. Roll over and place seam side down in a greased (or sprayed with Pam) 9x13 pan. 

In a small saucepan, melt butter over med heat. Add flour and stir well, cook about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and bring to boil. Once the broth has thickened remove from heat and stir in 1/2 c shredded cheddar and 1/2 c sour cream until smooth. **If you want to make this part easier on yourself you can always substitute a can of warm Cream of Chicken soup mixed with 1/2 c sour cream.. it eliminates the butter, flour, broth step.

Pour sauce over enchiladas (sprinkle with a little more cheese if you have it) and bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly. 

Fiesta Lime Chicken

This is my favorite Copycat recipe EVER! I love Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken so much I had to search it out on the internet. I've used this recipe for over ten years and it's great. The Mexi-Ranch dressing is the best part.. I like to spoon extra over my rice and dip chips in it too. I could eat this once a week :)

1/3 c teriyaki sauce
1/2 lime, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t liquid smoke
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground ginger
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 12 tenderloins)
1/3 c mayo (not Miracle Whip)
1/3 c sour cream
2 T chunky salsa
1 t Old Bay Cajun Blackened Seasoning
1/4 t dried parsley
a few dashes Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/4 t dill weed
1/4 t cumin
1 c Colby Jack cheese, shredded
2 c tortilla chips, crumbled


For the marinade, combine first 6 ingredients in a one-cup glass measuring cup. Fill the cup the rest of the way with water. Pour over chicken in a large ziplock baggie and marinate 3-4 hours in refrigerator. 


For the Mexi-Ranch, combine the next 8 ingredients in a small bowl and chill until needed.


Heat grill to high and oil the grates. Remove chicken from marinade, blot with paper towels to dry and discard reserve marinade. Grill chicken until cooked through. If you use tenderloins they only take 2-3 minutes per side. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil. Remove chicken breast to baking pan, top with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce, then cheese. If using tenderloins, place three side by side and top with sauce and cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve over crumbled tortilla chips with a lime wedge and some fresh pico de gallo (recipe follows). I usually serve it with Spanish Rice (Uncle Ben's ready pouches are a huge time-saver). Serves four. Enjoy!


Pico de Gallo:


2-3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 c white onion, minced
1/2 fresh jalapeño, seeded and minced (or a few pickled rings, chopped)
sea salt to taste
a squeeze of lime juice


Combine ingredients in a small bowl, cover and chill until ready to use.


*The cost to make this dish is approximately $12

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs have a completely different flavor than Italian meatballs.. the seasonings are warm and nutty. It's a great winter-time meal. While these are not EXACTLY like the Köttbullar (pronounced "shot-bull-ar") I had in Sweden, they're pretty darn good! Don't hesitate to add the raspberry jam to the sauce.. it sweetens it a little and really completes the dish.

1/2 c onion, minced 
1 T butter
2 slices bread
1/4 c milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1 t pepper
1 lb ground beef
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 c beef broth
1/4 c sour cream
1-2 t raspberry jam (lingonberry if you have it)
egg noodles or mashed potatoes for serving


Sauté onion in 1 T butter about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, tear bread into pieces and process in a small food processor with the milk. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. It will be goopy but that's what makes these meatballs really moist. If you don't have a food processor just make sure the pieces are very small. Add bread and onions to a large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, nutmeg, ginger and pepper to combine and then fold in the ground beef with your hands. Don't over-mix it or the meatballs will be tough. Roll mixture into 1 1/2" balls. I made about 18 meatballs with this amount.


Melt 3 T butter in a large skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides in batches. Be careful not to smash them (or overcrowd them) or they won't brown properly. You don't have to cook them through yet, just brown them and set aside. After all meatballs are browned and set aside add the flour to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the roux is the color of coffee with cream. Gradually whisk in the warm beef broth and stir until it's thickened a little. Salt and pepper to taste. Add in the meatballs and cover. Cook about ten minutes to finish the meatballs. Cook your egg noodles while the meatballs simmer. To finish the sauce, remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon (again) and stir in the sour cream and raspberry jelly. Add meatballs back into the sauce until ready to serve. Serves 2-3. Enjoy!