Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy, Egg Noodles and Dill Cucumber Salad

Finely dice 1/2 of the yellow onion (about 1/2 cup) and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Set aside the other half of the onion for later use in the gravy.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup milk and let soak for 5 minutes until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.

Add 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, the diced onion, minced garlic, 1 large egg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the soaked breadcrumbs.

Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix which would make the meatballs tough.

Form the mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and place on a baking sheet.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 2 minutes per batch. They don't need to be cooked through as they will finish cooking in the slow cooker.

Transfer the browned meatballs to a 6-quart slow cooker.

In the same skillet with the remaining butter and drippings, dice and add the remaining half onion. Sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour over the onions and stir continuously for 1 minute to create a roux.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef broth and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to thicken.

Pour the gravy over the meatballs in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the cucumber salad: Wash and thinly slice 2 English cucumbers (about 1/8 inch thick).

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Finely chop 1/4 cup fresh dill and add to the dressing. Pour over the sliced cucumbers and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When the meatballs are almost done, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 ounces egg noodles according to package instructions, usually 7-9 minutes until al dente. Drain when done.

Just before serving, stir 1/2 cup sour cream into the meatball gravy in the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine and heat through for about 5 minutes with the lid on.

Serve the meatballs and gravy over the egg noodles with the dill cucumber salad on the side.