Yesterday as I drove to North Raleigh to tape the next four Cooking with Elise segments, it felt like Christmas. I love this time of the year! Christmas was definitely in the air! The temperature was frigid; a mere 20 degrees! I drove through downtown Raleigh with beautiful Christmas music playing. At each crosswalk I watched as people passed bundled up in heavy winter coats, scarves clinging to their necks, fingers in gloves and hats on just about everyone’s heads. Baby, it was COLD outside! I think I had a smile on my face the whole time as I sang to the Christmas songs playing on the radio. It just looked like Christmas all around!

Thirty minutes later I arrived at the showroom ready and eager to get started! I had chosen recipes that I was really excited about. They were easy, delicious and healthy! Among the four recipes were Healthy Sloppy Joes, Refreshing Salsa with alternatives to chips (perfect for all the football games and the upcoming Superbowl), My Maple Banana Blueberry Loaf and finally one of our family favorites-Swedish Meatballs with Whole Wheat Egg Noodles!

I have made these recipes for what seemed like a million times before. Just before the taping of the meatballs, I asked if anyone smelled anything funny because my throat began to burn a bit. Hmm…no one smelled anything. That was strange! The taping of the Swedish Meatballs and Whole Wheat Egg Noodles began. All of the ingredients were measured out and ready to be shown to our viewers. The meatballs were ready to go in the oven. I opened the oven to find one of Garner TV and Appliance’s plastic advertisements in the oven burning! Everyone helped get this plastic, which was now STUCK to the oven rack and melting all over the bottom of the oven out! That was the smell!

Thank goodness we had four other ovens in the store! The meatballs, which had grated onion and its juices in them, were baking away in another oven which made the Garner TV and Appliance showroom smell amazing!

I began making the sauce while the meatballs were baking away in the big beautiful Thermador oven. Justin, with the heavy camera on his shoulder, began taping as I made the sauce I had made many, many times before. I made a roux by melting some butter then adding in equal amounts of flour. I added paprika, like I always do, which added not only a nice color, but a great flavor. I then explained how adding a little beef broth at a time would not lower the temperature of your pan and will help thicken the sauce up quickly.

The meatballs were ready and looked amazing! Honestly, I was ready to ding right in! I added all of the meatballs to the sauce, plated up and was ready to dig into this steamy plate piled up with egg noodles, meatballs and thick sauce! All of a sudden I heard my director, editor, camera guy, Jack of all trades and all-round good guy, Justin say, “Cut…Elise, what about the sour cream? Shouldn’t you have added it to the sauce?”

Oh dear! I had completely neglected to add the sour cream that was sitting right next to me! Having no meatballs left and now meatballs full of sauce-what were we to do? I took the meatballs out, which were now full of sauce, so I had just given Justin extra work of editing. We began taping again when I grabbed too much sour cream and now my beautiful sauce was white as snow. Oh brother!

I tasted the meatballs because honestly they looked the same as they usually do and said, “Dang! These are good without the sour cream!” I had cut out about 240 calories without even trying! I said, “Oh my gosh these are great!” My Executive Producer looked at me, paused and said, “Good cuz I hate sour cream!” : – ) Aaahhh, happy accidents, happy accidents!”

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5: 18