Spicy Holiday Meatballs

It is a nice cool overcast day today. The kind of day you just enjoy the warmth of your home, a warm cup of something, your children keeping themselves entertained, and forego the "to-do" list. Yes, I have managed to only to one thing on my list today, because I promised my husband that I would ditch the list today. I have a huge desire to bake, but I am out of eggs. Of course. It is always that one ingredient that will hold up your plans of playing kitchen diva. I am waiting for my oldest daughter to get off of work and run to to store for me, since she is already out and about and dressed, unlike me who is still in p.j.'s. I must admit I could get used to this or try to at least, until the world falls apart, because I did not do that load of laundry or hang up that one picture. I mean if a butterfly wing can create chaos in the universe surely not doing #3 on my "to-do"list will cause it to spin out of orbit!  So since I must do something, I will post a recipe from a dinner I had a little over a week ago. It was my pre-Thanksgiving run. Lots of food. Lots of good conversation. Lots of new recipes.  Here is a new appetizer recipe I tried that I found in the Thanksgiving edition of Southern Living, my FAVORITE magazine of all time! They have one of the best test kitchens around.  I sometimes pretend that I am working in their test kitchen. Some people fantasize about being on the beach with a cocktail in hand, I fantasize about creating a masterpiece in their kitchen with an awesome utensil. Dream big, baby! 

(photo courtesy of Southern Living Magazine)

Holiday Meatballs

Makes 10-12 appetizer servings

Hands-On time: 30 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

For a main-dish meal, serve meatballs over rice with cooked vegetables. You may also prepare meatballs in a 6-qt. slow cooker at HIGH for 2 hours. 

1 (16-oz.) can whole-berry cranberry sauce (I used Ocean Spray)

1 (12-oz) bottle chili sauce (I used Sriracha HOT chili sauce)*

1/4 cup orange marmalade (I used Smuckers)

1 Tbsp. soy sauce (Great Value brand)

2 Tbsp. red white vinegar 

1 tsp. crushed red pepper (out of red so used black)

1 (32-oz) package of frozen meatballs (SL used Farm Rich. I used Great Value)

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until smooth. 

Add meatballs, and cook, stirring occasionally, 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish, if desired. 

*- Will come out spicy! So adjust to taste buds. Next time, I will use a little less for the wimps.  

As I noted, the meatballs will come out really spicy if  you use the full 12-oz chili sauce. So imagine how mine turned out when I used 12-oz of Asian HOT chili sauce. Seriously, those of us who liked spicy loved them. Those with a more demure palette, well, needed fire extinguishers. When these babies were done, I went to rinse out the container they were in and I choked on the SPICY fumes. 

Now that you have been warned about the potential kick-factor, these meatballs are really good. So if you like a sweet and spicy dish, then these are for you. If you don't, just play with the recipe until it gets to the kick you can handle. 

I plan on making these again. They are easy. Really good. Awesome grub apps (way better than celery sticks with cheese sauce). And perfect for holiday entertaining. 

Tomorrow, I will resume never ending Operation To-Do List. After all, I swear by it as my fitness and weigh loss secret. However, I may just have to keep on the p.j.'s Why not? 

 

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