Swedish meatballs with beet rosti

Since I just bought the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I decided on a slightly Scandanavian theme for dinner. For the record, I liked the Swedish version of the movie better!

Easy Swedish Meatballs

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 onion chopped fine
1 box Stovetop stuffing for pork
2 eggs
1 cup water
1 jar beef gravy
1/2 cup sour cream
pepper

Heat oven to 400.
Mix all ingredients, up to gravy, in a bowl. Form into golf ball size balls and place on a foil lined and greased cookie sheet. Makes 36 (or so). Bake 20 minutes.

While meatballs are baking, mix gravy and sour cream until smooth. Heat on low until bubbly.

Serve meatballs over wide egg noodles, top with gravy. You can also dunk the meatballs in the sauce before serving.

Beet Rosti

3 cans beets (not pickled!!) whole or quartered.
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp butter

Rinse beets in a colander. Using either a box grater or the grating disk on the food processor grate beets.
Mix beets, salt, pepper and rosemary in a bowl. Add 1/4 of the flour, mix well. Add remaining flour and mix.

In a very large skillet brown butter until it is nutty and fragrant. Add beet mixture and spread into a large pancake. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then flip carefully. If it doesnt flip all together, flip in sections. Cook another 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Chicken with Lemon Gremolata and Lemon Cream pan sauce, Orzo and Sauteed Spinach with Tomatoes

Wow, this was a big hit! My Mother is trying to reduce carbs, so i created this. She skipped the orzo totally. This looks complicated, but took less than 30 minutes, I promise!

Chicken

EVOO
Chicken cutlets, pounded thin (as many as you need)
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup panko
3/4 cup grated Parmesean
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter in a shallow dish with pepper. Let cool. Whisk in egg.

Heat large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons EVOO let heat until very hot.

Mix all other ingredients, except for chicken. Dip chicken in butter/egg mixture then coat in breadcrumb mixture. Pan fry cutlets in pan for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Before you flip the chicken make sure its ready. How? The coating will stay with the chicken, not on the pan.

Pan Sauce

1 shallot
3 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
juice of 1 lemon (maybe 2 if they aren't jucy)
3/4 cups fat free half and half
1 tablespoon butter

Peel the shallot and garlic, cut into large chunks. Place between wax paper and pound into a paste. After removing the chicken from the pan, add the garlic/shallot paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add wine and broth. Let reduce over medium high for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice. Let cook for 2 minutes. Add half and half. Cook for 2 more minutes, spoon over chicken and orzo.

Spinach and Toamtoes

1 bag baby spinach
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
EVOO
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic minced

In a large hot skillet heat EVOO, just to coat the bottom of the pan. Brown shallot and garlic for 1 minute. Add spinach. Cook for 3 minutes, turning to coat in the oil. Add tomatoes. Cook for 4 minutes until spinach is wilted and the tomatoes are tender. Add salt and pepper if you wish. I only added pepper.