Everytime we travel to Sweden I experience a new food that quickly becomes one of my new favorites and this is certainly one of them. What makes this open face sandwich so special is the red beet salad that compliments the meatballs. The type of bread used is very important and I found that the bakery at our Wal-Mart Supercenter  makes some exceptionally good fresh baked bread and rolls. I must tell you that I was shocked! 

Wal-Mart’s 9 grain loaf is excellent to use for this sandwich – please do not use commercial sliced white bread – at the very least you can use rye or limpa bread if you can’t find Wal-Mart’s 9 grain bread.
Speaking of bread… if you travel to any of the European countries you will find that fresh baked bread is the normal and with a variety that is second to none. Then there’s the fabulous desserts and pastries… but that will be discussed in a future post.

Ingredients:

• cold sliced Swedish Meatballs 
• 9 Grain bread (Wal-Mart)
• red beet salad
• iceberg lettuce
• soft margarine

Red Beet Salad:

• 1 jar pickled beets diced vreally really small
• 1/2 C Miracle Whip
• 5 tsp juice from pickled beets

Do this:
Dice the beets into very very small pieces and mix in the Miracle Whip and beet juice.
Spread margarine on each slice of bread then a leaf of iceberg lettuce. Place sliced meatballs on lettuce and top with the red beet salad. Garnish with a tomato wedge and Bread & Butter pickles.

9 Grain Bread from Wal-Mart

Dice the pickled beets into very small pieces and add the beet juice and Miracle Whip. Blend with rubber spatula until combined

Slice the bread to the desired thickness

Lay iceberg lettuce leaf on buttered bread then a layer of sliced meatballs

Place 2 T or more of the red beet salad on the meatballs and garnish with tomato wedges and bread & butter pickles

I have had Swedish waffles (våfflor) many times in Sweden and they are very easy to duplicate as there are no “strange” ingredients and the heart shaped waffle makers are readily available.
We had an early supper today and decided to make Swedish waffles for a late dessert. You may also have vanilla ice cream on the waffles, but whipping cream and strawberry jam is a must! m-mmm good

Ingredients:
Makes 6 waffles

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 7 T margarine, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 C milk

Do this:
This is easy – put all ingredients in a medium size bowl and blend with wire whisk. Pour batter into preheated waffle maker and bake for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Lightly sprinkle each waffle with sugar.
Top each waffle with a dollop of whipping cream and strawberry jam.

Pour batter in waffle make and bake for 4-5 minutes until golden brown

Sprinkle each waffle with sugar

Top each waffle with whipping cream and strawberry jam

This was a tasty meal on this cool and rainy Sunday. The rosemary and thyme spices added a nice flavor to the pork and the bow tie pasta made the meal a bit more special. Fresh asparagus is in season and readily available so I used it for the vegetable… it was pencil thin and extremely tender.
Recipe adapted from Swedish food blog Kryddburken

Ingredients:
Serves 10

• 2 lbs. pork tenderloin
• 1 tsp karo syrup, white
• 1 leek sliced and quartered
• 2 T beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillon)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2-3 C water
• 1 C whipping cream
• 1 can mushrooms

Do this:
Cut pork into small pieces and brown small amounts at a time in frying pan using half oil and half margarine. Pour the syrup on the meat while browning as it helps with browning. After all meat has browned, add the water, chopped leek, spices and bouillon – simmer for 45-60 minutes in covered dutch oven. You may add more water if sauce evaporates. Add the cream and drained mushrooms before serving and thicken sauce with flour.
Serve with bow tie pasta, fresh asparagus and green salad.

 Brown the pork in oil and margarine. Adding a small amount of Karo syrup helps with the browning

 Place the browned pork in a dutch oven

 Slice the leek and then cut in quarters

 Fresh asparagus made a nice compliment to this meal

 Add the mushrooms and cream then thicken sauce with flour