Mod Podge, Macrame, and Meatballs...Marvelous!

I decided to take a trip down memory lane tonight.  The seventies gave us lots of 'interesting' fashions, foods and fads including earth shoes and pet rocks.  There was a surge of crafting that went on during that time and two of the most popular were decoupage and macrame.  I can remember that white, pink and orange jar of 'Mod Podge' was constantly in our home.  Decoupage was 'in' and everyone could manage it.  Nothing was sacred.  You could use mod podge on anything and have it permanently encased in the gluey substance in no time flat!  It was a favorite for classrooms, scout troops or home made gifts.  During that period of time there were a lot of homemade gifts! 

Macrame was much more complicated but the very creative among us were determined to learn this knot tying technique to make plant hangers, bracelets, wall hangings and even purses.  It was made with twine or hemp and required patience and plenty of time.  Pass the Mod Podge!

How could I possibly tie food into this post?  Easy.  Meatballs...it begins with 'M' and was a very frequently made party food during this decade when dinner parties were still very much the rage.  These are not Italian meatballs I'm talking about.  The meatballs that reigned during the 60's and 70's were 'Swedish Meatballs' and 'Sweet and Sour Meatballs'.  They were smaller and could be served in a chafing dish with toothpicks if you were offering them as part of a buffet or as appetizers during the cocktail hour.  The Swedish Meatball recipe comes from an old 1975 Betty Crocker cook book I have while the Sweet and Sour recipe is part of my 'collection'.  It is credited to Good Housekeeping, April 1968 issue, page 135.  Seriously, it's typed on the bottom of the page.  A warning: these recipes are labor intensive and only for the brave!

Swedish Meatballs  

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
3/4 cup dark rye bread crumbs
1 egg

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups water
3/4 cup dairy sour cream

Mix ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, egg, onion, milk, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, the Worcestershire sauce and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.  Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Shape ground beef mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into balls.  Brown meatballs in 12-inch skillet over medium heat about 20 minutes; remove meatballs.  Drain fat from skillet, reserving 1 tablespoon.  Return 1 tablespoon fat to skillet. (If necessary, add enough shortening to fat to measure 1 tablespoon.)

Stir flour, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper into fat in skillet.  Stir in water; heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add meatballs; heat until meatballs are hot.  Stir in sour cream until gravy is smooth.  6 to 8 servings.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

5 thin bread slices, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup milk

1 egg

2 pounds round beef, chopped

salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. mono sodium glutamate

1/8 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. salad oil

1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet gherkin chunks
1 - 13 and 1/2 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
2 small green peppers, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, pared and diagonally sliced.

Optional: 1 - 1 pound jar spiced whole crab apples

Method: About 1 hour and 15 minutes before dinner;

1.  In large bowl, combine bread cubes, milk and egg. Let stand 5 minutes then with fork, press together until bread is wet through; add ground steak, 1 and 1/4 tsp. salt, pepper, mono sodium glutamate, garlic salt.  Knead with hands, mixing well, form into balls, roll in flour.

2.  In large skillet over medium heat, in the 1/2 cup salad oil, brown meatballs until light golden; remove to paper toweling.

3.  Pour oil from skillet, then to it return meatballs with 3/4 cup cold water, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and sweet gherkins.  Set aside 6 pineapple chunks, then add rest to sauce.  Simmer over low heat, uncovered.  Turn often, 10-15 minutes or until about 2/3 of liquid is absorbed or evaporated. 

4.  Meanwhile, in 1 tbsp. of oil, in medium saucepan, over medium heat, saute green peppers and carrot slices and 1/4 tsp. salt until just tender-crisp, 3-5 minutes.

5.  Then, to meatballs, add half of green peppers and carrot mixture, and stir until heated through.

6.  Spoon into large serving bowl, top with reserved pineapple chunks and rest of green pepper and carrot mixture.

Garnish with crab apples and serve.  Serves 4-6.

On a personal note...the above recipe better serve 4-6 after all that work!  And what - WHAT are crab apples doing in any recipe meant for human consumption?  Maybe, I'm just 'crabby' after typing these recipes out!

Please note: the photos are courtesy of http://www.pinterest.com/ Visit them!