Elegant, Economical Swedish Meatballs

An elegant way to stretch your meat budget in these austere times is to make Swedish or Scandinavian-style meatballs. Each household cook has his or her recipe, but the basics are ground meat such as beef, veal and/or pork mixed with bread crumbs or bits of bread (I use bits of brioche pulled out from my brioche hamburger buns, which have been reserved in a freezer-bag), an egg and some cream or milk. Finely-minced onion is optional. Spices include nutmeg and/or allspice, salt and optional white pepper. Onion powder can take the place of minced onion, or that flavour may be omitted altogether. Meat mixtures are shaped into small balls and rolled in flour, then fried in butter. A pan-gravy is made while the finished meatballs rest in a warm oven until serving time. I prefer to use ground beef, brioche bits, sour cream, minced onions or onion-powder, nutmeg, salt and white or green ground pepper.
©M-J de Mesterton 2011

Serve Swedish meatballs with new potatoes and perhaps a little lingonberry or cranberry sauce on the side.
This Danish baking-dish has the traditional cream gravy at its bottom, topped with the meatballs (this type of meatball recipe is found in Swedish, Danish and Finnish cookbooks).
Very small new potatoes are usually just boiled in salted water, and not cut into pieces.
These Yukon Gold new potatoes have been cut and boiled, then sautéed in butter and smashed lightly.
©M-J de Mesterton 2011

Elegant Southwestern-Style Hamburger

Optional, and very popular: adding a slice of Monterey Jack cheese to your New Mexican Green Chile Burger Zesty Southwestern Hamburger Dressing Drain and chop finely a couple of dill pickle spears or a handful of hamburger dill slices. Shred and chop a cup of lettuce. Drain a small can of chopped green chiles in a sieve, pressing until they are as dry as possible. Ortega Fire-Roasted, Diced Green Chiles Old El Paso Green Chiles by the Case In a mixing-bowl, combine these vegetables with a half-cup of mayonnaise, gently blending the ingredients together for an elegant and refreshing southwestern-style hamburger sauce. A bit of ground pepper and/or 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder may be added to absorb excess moisture and impart extra flavour to the mixture. Amounts of these ingredients may be adjusted to your taste. ©M-J de Mesterton New Mexican Green Chile Burger on Home-Made Hamburger Bun Recipe Courtesy of M-J de Mesterton The Authentic New Mexico Green Chiles, Grown by

Elegant Green Chile Burger

In New Mexico where it originated, the Green Chile Cheeseburger reigns supreme. Simply fry your burgers, then add as many chopped green chiles on top as you like, then add a slice of your favourite cheese and broil for a minute. Monterey Jack is popular, as is Cheddar. Lettuce, mayonnaise and pickles are optional. Zesty Southwestern Hamburger Dressing Drain and chop finely a couple of dill pickle spears or a handful of hamburger dill slices. Shred and chop a cup of lettuce. Drain a small can of chopped green chiles in a sieve, pressing until they are as dry as possible. Ortega Fire-Roasted, Diced Green Chiles Old El Paso Green Chiles by the Case In a mixing-bowl, combine these vegetables with a half-cup of mayonnaise, gently blending the ingredients together for an elegant and refreshing southwestern-style hamburger sauce. A bit of ground pepper and/or 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder may be added to absorb excess moisture and impart extra flavour to the mixture. Amounts of these ingredie

Elegant Canapés

Canapés are elegant appetisers that use bread or toast as a base for decoratively arranged bits of food. Meats, cheese and vegetables are elegantly placed inside these toasted bread cups. These elegant offerings are always welcome with drinks before dinner, or as part of a cocktail buffet.

Elegant Danish Cheese

Havarti, the Famous Mild Cheese from Denmark Havarti or Cream Havarti (Fløde Havarti in Danish) is a semi-soft Danish cow's milk cheese. It is a table cheese that can be sliced, grilled, or melted. Havarti cheese was created by Hanne Nielsen, who operated an experimental farm called Havarthigaard in Øverød, Denmark, in the mid-19th century. Havarti is made by introducing rennet to milk, thus promoting curdling. The curds are drained by being pressed into cheese mould and then aged. Havarti is a washed-curd cheese, which contributes to its subtle flavour. Havarti is a smooth, interior-ripened cheese that is rindless and of a cream-to-yellow hue, depending on its degree of aging. It has tiny, irregular openings ("eyes") distributed throughout, like smaller versions of the holes inherent in Swiss cheese. Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties. The taste is also quite buttery, and Havartis range in type from somewhat sweet t

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Titolo Wine, by Elena Fucci

From a very high region of Italy, near a dormant volcano called Il Vulture, comes an unique red wine by Elena Fucci, who revived her family's vineyards with great success. Titolo Aglianico del Vulture, of any vintage, makes a wonderful gift for the wine enthusiast.

The Elegant, Affordable Non-Electric Juicer

Stainless Lux of San Francisco makes an elegant, high-quality juicer that comes in a fabric drawstring pouch. The affordable way to juice oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes: Stainless Lux Update, March 2022: I have now owned this Stainless LUX juicer for eleven years; it still looks and works like brand-new. ♥ M-J de Mesterton

Elegant Strawberry Dessert

Strawberries and home-whipped cream combined with angel food cake sit on an elegant antique Noritake platter in the 1950s Ming pattern. Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream on Angel Food Cake

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