With spring's arrival, many of us will begin to look for lighter meals to replace the stews and soups we've been surviving on all winter long. Those propane grills are finally free from snow and ready to barbecue some tasty chicken and steak. But guess what? I live in the Midwest, and that means some days will feel like spring, but others will include cold rain, ferocious wind and yes, maybe even a late-season snowstorm. Even if the calendar says winter is coming to an end, there will still be plenty of evenings when a hearty, comfort food supper is just what we need to turn a day around. Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs are the low-maintenance, retro meal totally up to the job!

Related: The 25 Best Crock Pot Meatball Recipes

This simple slow cooker recipe starts with frozen meatballs, making it a busy cook's new best friend. With a simple beef and onion-based sauce that is then made creamy with some sour cream, it has layers of flavor too! Serve over warm egg noodles and they make a full meal deal.

Swedish meatballs are usually smaller than their Italian counterparts, and made with a 50-50 ratio of ground beef and pork. They also tend to use spices like nutmeg and allspice for flavoring. The sauce is usually beef based with broth or stock and also includes either heavy or sour cream. (If you've eaten beef stroganoff, this sauce is very similar!)

Ironically it is said this very famous Swedish dish was actually brought back from a trip to Turkey by King Charles XII in the early 18th century. Over the years the Swedes have made the dish their own though, and take pride in their homemade meatballs that are now world known.

Related: Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs

If you have always shied away from pre-made frozen meatballs, I urge you to think again. They have come a long way since our moms used to buy them. Most stores carry several varieties from homestyle and Italian to flame broiled and even stuffed. For this recipe you want the homestyle version so they don't have the extra spices in the Italian ones. Frozen meatballs are also perfect for Crock Pot cooking because in almost every recipe using them, they can begin frozen, so no extra thawing time!

1. In a medium bowl whisk together soup, beef broth, onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

2. Place frozen meatballs in Crock Pot. Pour sauce over and mix well. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-5 hours.

3. About 30 minutes before meatballs are finished, add the sour cream and mix well. Continue cooking until it's warmed through.

4. Cook egg noodles and drain well. Mix with butter and dried parsley.

5. Serve meatballs with sauce over or alongside egg noodles.

Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs are a simple, flavorful and hearty supper that will have your family running to the table. They can be mostly done when you get home, just add the sour cream and boil some noodles! Springtime might bright lighter and brighter foods, but we crave great comfort food, no matter what season it is!

Krista Marshall is the creator of Everyday Mom's Meals