Post #16 – Women’s Memoirs, ScrapMoir – Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett
By Cindy Wilber
Nana, the name we affectionately called my grandmother, was born in 1893 on a farm in Toten, Norway just north of Lillehammer. When Nana (then called Hulda Marie Sivesind) was 16, she immigrated to America and settled in the Seattle area, where her mother was already living. One evening Nana and several of her friends attended a dance at a Sons of Norway hall in Seattle. They noticed Endre Lofthus and his brother Al at the dance and thought they were two very handsome gentlemen! My grandfather Endre also noticed Nana that first night. He was smitten with her and pursued her until she said yes to marriage.
At this point you might be wondering, “What does all this have to do with Kjod Kaker?” Well, I wanted to share a little bit of my heritage so you would see why when I talk about Kjod Kaker, Norwegian Meatballs, you will understand the importance of this delicacy being “Norwegian” meatballs not just “any old” meatballs.
As I was growing up we had a several traditions that our family observed on Christmas Eve. The first tradition was that all our nearby extended family was invited to celebrate Christmas Eve at our home. The evening’s festivities began with our traditional dinner.
“Cindy,” my Mom would say, “please put one of the serving spoons on the table next to the meatballs.”
Yes, the second tradition was that the menu always included Nana’s Norwegian Meatballs, usually mashed potatoes and some other side accompaniments, which would change from year to year. But, and I say “but” strongly, we always had Nana’s Norwegian Meatballs – that was a must!
After dinner, the family would participate in reading the Christmas story from the Bible, a third tradition.
The fourth Christmas tradition began when my Dad would say “I think I hear Santa approaching – that means it’s time for you kids to disappear.” The children would be escorted upstairs to one of the bedrooms while Santa arrived with the gifts. A short time later, the sleigh bells would ring, signaling that Santa was leaving. We would run into the hall and dash down the stairs. The younger children were trying to locate their gifts, and the older ones were looking for Santa. We would finish the evening with the opening of gifts, fellowship, and some Norwegian cookies. It was an evening full of traditions and one that I always looked forward to!
An interesting side note to Nana’s Norwegian meatball story is that Nana really didn’t like to cook, but I didn’t know that when I was young. One time, I was talking with Mom about Nana not making the meatballs. Mom said “Nana always has had a helper in the kitchen to do most of the cooking. She usually decides what to cook and the helper does the cooking. I just don’t think she enjoys cooking.” I realized then that my Mom was the real keeper of the meatball tradition.
As I grew older, many things changed. My father was in the Navy and so our family moved around the country. Later, after I married and then divorced, I still shared Christmas with my two daughters, my parents and other family members that might be in the area. But even in the midst of change, we knew we could always count on Nana’s Norwegian Meatballs. Even after Nana passed on to be with our Lord and Savior, Mom or Aunt Cissi (my Mom’s sister) would make the meatballs, using Nana’s mother’s recipe that she brought to this country when she immigrated here. I was even taught how to make them when my Mother was teaching me how to cook.
As the years went by, I continued to eagerly await the Norwegian Meatballs that Mom would cook for Christmas Eve. One year, my sister Candi (who is 12 years younger and stayed at home a lot longer than I did) and I were talking about the meatballs.
I asked, “Candi, did you help Mom make Nana’s meatballs this year?”
She quickly replied “Cindy you know Mom buys them in a can and heats them up. Then she puts them in the chafing dish she’s always used. You knew this didn’t you?”
I said “You must be kidding. She wouldn’t ever do that!”
I could not believe it! I thought my sister was putting me on. “You can’t do something like that to break tradition!!”
Candi laughed and said, “Cindy, Mom has been doing this for years! It’s so hectic at Christmas time with many gifts to buy and wrap, cookies to bake, a party to hostess, and so many other things to accomplish that she found these delicious canned meatballs and has been using them ever since.”
Well, we got a big laugh out of that.
And I got a big surprise. I found that some traditions change and that’s okay!
Here is my Nana’s recipe if you would like to make these delicious Norwegian Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
3/4 lb ground veal
3/4 lb ground pork
1 c evaporated milk
2 eggs
2 T cornstarch
3 T wheat germ
1/4 t allspice
1/4 t cloves
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 c butter
2 c stock
Put first three ingredients through food processor. Add next seven ingredients. Process until mixture makes a paste. Roll mixture into balls. Saute until brown. Remove meatballs from pan.
Make a gravy by adding 2 cups stock to pan (may substitute 2 cups water and 2 bouillon cubes).
Return meatballs to pan with stock. Cover. Steam 5 to 10 minutes. Thicken gravy and serve as hors d’oeuvres in chafing dish. May freeze in gravy until ready to use.
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ABOUT CINDY WILBER
I am a mother/stepmother of four adult children and grandmother of seven children. I live with my husband Doug along with our two dogs, two chickens and one quarter horse on our small ranch in Gilroy, CA
