Fruity and Tangy Meatballs

Adding a few interesting ingredients can change a simple meatball recipe to make it spectacular.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs on page 165 of Tastes & Treasures is also a crowd pleaser. Available at www.HistoricalLeague.org/shop.aspx

Ingredients Meatballs:
1 lb. raw extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely diced mango
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. dried minced onion
1/4 tsp. salt

Ingredients Sauce:
One 15-oz. can peach slices in juice
1/2 cup sugar-free or low-sugar apricot preserves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Mix thoroughly with your hands. (Don't be squeamish -- it's the easiest way!) Form 24 evenly sized meatballs from the mixture and place them evenly on the baking sheet. An easy option is to buy frozen meatballs.

Bake in the oven until meatballs are just cooked, 8 - 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drain peaches and transfer to a blender or food processor. Pulse until mostly smooth. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add all remaining sauce ingredients to the slow cooker and mix well.

Carefully transfer meatballs to the slow cooker. Stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 3 - 4 hours.

Stir well and serve up meatballs with toothpicks and the extra sauce from the slow cooker!

Makes 8 servings

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Traveling by car for 4 hours, then golfing for 4 days with the "guys" meant I had to send something easy for my husband to take to the college reunion golf tournament. This recipe from page 165 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook was perfect with a Crockpot to the rescue.

Note: the photo of the empty crockpot was taken after all the meatballs were consumed. Apparently they were a big hit.

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

Ingredients:
2 cups undrained sauerkraut
1 16oz can whole cranberry sauce
1¼ cups chili sauce
1¼ cups water
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 pounds frozen cooked meatballs

Directions:
Allow meatballs to defrost in refrigerator overnight.
Combine sauerkraut, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, water and brown sugar in a slow cooker and mix well.
Add the meatballs and cook on low for 2-3 hours or longer.

Gifting Tastes & Treasures Cookbook

Lots of snowbirds come to the "Valley of the Sun" in February and March. We were fortunate to enjoy a mini-Michigan Tech University reunion at Dennis and Carol Downey's place in Mesa last week with 6 graduates of the University. It was fun to reminisce and tell stories.

I gave a cookbook to Laura and Mike Hoganson and she was so grateful. Coming from a Forestry major, this comment is appreciated, "Thank you for Tastes & Treasures. It is a beautiful, beautiful cookbook. I have studied every page(!) and am excited to make many of the recipes."

Meatballs with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce, page 165 Tastes & Treasures, is an easy recipe to serve at any get-together. The guys have enjoyed it on their golf trips when I prepare it and freeze the entire dish in a giant zip-loc bag. Before they leave for golf, it is placed in the crockpot on low heat to be enjoyed when they return.

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

Ingredients:

2 cups undrained sauerkraut

1 16oz can whole cranberry sauce

1¼ cups chili sauce

1¼ cups water

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 pounds frozen cooked meatballs

Method:

1. Allow meatballs to defrost in refrigerator overnight.
2. Combine sauerkraut, cranberry sauce, chili sauce water and brown sugar in a slow cooker and mix well.
3. Add the meatballs and cook on low for 2-3 hours or longer.

Colorful and Tasty Cranberry Meatballs

	Festive and colorful, these are perfect for Holiday parties, as an appetizer, snack or meal. Another wonderful meatball is Sweet and Sour Meatballs from Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 165. Cranberry Easy Meatballs Ingredients: 1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey 1/2 cup chili sauce 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries, roughly chopped Spices: salt, black pepper
	Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine turkey, chili sauce, chopped cranberries, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Firmly and evenly form into 20 balls and place on the baking sheet, evenly spaced. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Gently flip meatballs and bake until cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy! MAKES 5 SERVINGS Thanks to Hungry Girl for another easy recipe.

Golf and Meatballs

Reunions are fun and this group of graduates from Michigan Technological University get together once a year in Palm Springs to celebrate over golf and food (and a few beers). The Sweet and Sour Meatballs from Tastes and Treasures was an easy dish to send with the crockpot doing the cooking while they were on the links. Rumor has it the bowl was empty with the sauerkraut being a favorite. Gotta love those Canadians. 

  

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS page 165 

 Ingredients: 2 cups undrained sauerkraut 1 16oz can whole cranberry sauce 1¼ cups chili sauce 1¼ cups water 1 cup packed brown sugar 3 pounds frozen cooked meatballs 

 Method: 1. Combine sauerkraut, cranberry sauce, chili sauce water and brown sugar in a slow cooker and mix well. 2. Add the meatballs and cook on low for 2-3 hours or longer. (I think they cooked for 6 hours)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Can't get enough of these delightful hors d'oeuvres with their unique flavor. The new "mini" crockpot came in handy to keep them warm during the White Elephant gift exchange. Lots of laughs and good food to munch on. Austin models the most popular White Elephant gift. It was traded many times. 

  

Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce page 165 

Ingredients:

2 cups undrained sauerkraut 1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce (2 cups) 1 1/4 cups chili sauce 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup packed brown sugar 3 pounds frozen cooked meatballs (do not thaw) 

Method:

Combine the sauerkraut, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, water and brown sugar in a slow cooker and mix well. Add the frozen meatballs and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours or longer. 

You may bake in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, 350 degrees for 40 minutes. 

Serves 8