Jen's Slow Cooker Swedish Meatball Surprise

Today has been hectic. Trying to keep on top of potty training and get to a MOMS Club meeting was a little too much for me to handle today. I admit, I was a little overwhelmed. By the time I got home I wanted to curl up into a fetal position on my couch, but I still did not have dinner situated. So, I decided that I would make it easy for myself and throw some frozen meatballs in the slow cooker. At this point, I still was not sure what I was going to actually do with the meatballs. Hey, the first big decision was made...so I went with it. I quickly formulated a plan to improvise Swedish Meatballs by digging around in my fridge and pantry. I just started throwing ingredients in the pot, with my fingers crossed. These are certainly not traditional Swedish Meatballs, but more like a desperate attempt to get something on the table for dinner. I think I will serve my concoction over egg noodles with some frozen veggies. Hopefully, I can bluff my way through an edible meal tonight. Please note: this is a total off-the-cuff recipe...so all measurements are approximate. Wish me luck!

Jen's Slow Cooker Swedish Meatball Surprise

Ingredients:
28 frozen Italian-style frozen meatballs (I get mine from Costco)
1 can sliced mushrooms, rinsed and drained
1/2 diced white onion
some leftover diced green onion
Approximately 2 cups of chicken stock
1 clove of smashed garlic
A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
A splash of soy sauce
A splash of red wine vinegar
Approximately 1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 Tablespoon of dried parsley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
black pepper and salt to taste
sour cream
milk and flour (or cornstarch) slurry
a little dry white wine, splashed in at the end of cooking for the sauce

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours. After the time is up, stir in some sour cream and the milk slurry to thicken into a sauce. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes with lid off (or until desired consistency is obtained). Taste and add seasoning, if needed. Cross your fingers and say a prayer.



The Result:
I will totally make this again! This really worked out well. The husband and boy loved it, and I must admit, I thought it was completely satisfying. I did have to add some salt and a splash of dry white wine after the cooking was done (when I was making the sauce) because it was a little flat. However, once I adjusted the flavor it was awesome. I used a little less than a cup of light sour cream, my milk/flour slurry, the wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc),some salt, and that was it for finishing the sauce. I do wish the sauce was a little thicker, but the flavor was delicious and savory. It was actually very similar to a Cooking Light recipe I have for Beef Stroganoff. I put the green beans over the egg noodles, then spooned the meatballs and sauce over top. Whew! The surprise was that this turned out great!!!