When I was a kid, I didn’t want to learn how to cook. Heck I didn’t want to do any “grown up stuff”. As the oldest of three I knew I had to take the lead but I was a bit spoiled as a little girl so I didn’t understand that I would have to do things for myself. I still wanted people to do things for me.  Well, like the rest of you, my parents won that battle, I had to grow up. Besides chores, the other adult thing I was taught to do was cook.  Other than helping my dad with shake & bake meals, I had no idea where to begin when it came to creating a meal from scratch.

My first real forray into the culinary world began when I was 12 years old. Each weekend I would go to Queens  where my aunt would teach me how to cook. She was and still is a very good cook and my dad wanted me to learn from her all the tricks of the trade. For me it was also a bonding experience too.

The very first meal I learned how to make was Swedish Meatballs. Quick and easy, no nonsense. I’m glad I started with such an easy meal to make. I think if it was something with a little more slicing and dicing I would have been more intimidated. Here, the main ingredients were of course, ground meat & onion. Even my aunt, being the good cook that she is couldn’t tell me any secrets on how not to cry when slicing onions!  However, the best part for me, and more than likely the same for many kids, was getting to mix the ingredients together. What kid wouldn’t like getting their hands messy with raw meat & various ingredients, it was the best part!

When the dish was done, I was proud of what I had accomplished. It would be a feeling I carry with me to this day. Cooking is not just about creating a warm meal but all the work that goes into it. My aunt never told me that, it was something I had to learn on my own. I was thankful that my aunt broke me into the culinary world very gently.I’m thankful for all her help, and that’s why I look back so fondly on it today!

There’s several variations of Swedish Meatballs on the web. Here’s a starting point!