For the Harvest Recipe Cookbook 2008, this old recipe is still very popular here in Germany.

''Welcome back! I'm glad to see you've popped over to my kitchen today! I am going to explain how to make Frikadelle.''

''This recipe is very popular here in Germany and has been around a very long time. I do not know who first made this dish, but it's really yummy!''

''I hope you saved the bread you pulled out of the bread rolls from the Zucchini Soup, but if you didn't, don't worry, I'll explain what you can do instead!''

What you'll need:

4 lbs Ground Beef (2 1/2 if you get it with very little fat mixed in)
1 large egg
salt & pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons Provencial Herbs (herb mix of equal amounts of Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Marjoram, Oregano, Tarragon, Chervil, & Lovage)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups of tap water (bottled is fine so long as it's not carbinated)

''Now, if you didn't save the bread from the rolls while making the Zucchini Soup, or if you are not having the soup as an appitizer, then you can simply prepare some bread before hand by letting it sit out until semi- or partically dry. Usually I make this with 2 day old bread as its not completely dry, but no longer fresh enough to eat with luncheon meat. Make sure the bread is in small bits about the size of a small olive, use the crust as well.''

''Roll up your sleeves and dive in! Mix well the herbs and salt and pepper (to your personal taste) into the raw ground beef. Add the egg and the dry bread.''

''Now take a bit of the ground beef and roll it in your palm just so... it should be about the size of a golf ball, maybe a little larger. Squish it a little flat, however, not nearly as flat as a hamburger patty... is should resemble a fat breakfast sausage patty... about 2 1/2 to 3 inches across and about 1/2 an inch to 3/4 inch thick.''

''Once you've shaped all the beef into these small, fat patties, cook them on a medium-high heat until brown and however pink in the middle you prefer your ground beef to be.''

''Remove the patties from the skillet and let them drain any fat, saving the juice from the patties in the pan, unless you used a very fatty ground beef. If that is the case, carefully drain the fat off and try to save as much of the non-fat juice / flavourings in the skillet. If you used fatty beef and have drained the pan you might need a spoon or two of water in the pan.''

''At this time of year, who needs extra fat on their plates?''

''Now, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, once it is melted add the flour, a little at a time, stirring contantly. If the pan is too hot, reduce the heat a little more. Now add the two cups of water slowly, again keep stirring. You want to make a nice gravy.''
''Serve hot with the gravy spooned over the meat on the plate. You can serve with a mixed vegtable on the side, or whatever else strikes your fancy.''

''Here in Germany, we often eat these with boiled potato's (which are very yummy with the gravy) as well as with ''Krauterbutter''... this is simply about a half of cup of the Provencial Herb mix added to a pound of room temperature butter, some salt, and fresh garlic, diced fine. Once you've mixed all the herbs, salt and garlic into the butter, you can put it into a nice dish or butter form and chill it and serve it with the Frikadelle. (Pssst... it sounds like: Frik+a+della)

Missy Kitty and I wish you and your's the best holiday season ever! We hope you'll stop back soon as we have a really 'sweet' treat for the young and young at heart!