What's Cooking

Tonight is Malcolm's first kenpo-karate tournament. He's simultaneously excited and nervous. The whole event is a potluck and he requested Holiday Meatballs, a recipe from our dear friend, Jodie Williams.

This is a really easy recipe. I've converted it to the crockpot and use frozen meatballs from Costco to make it even easier. I actually will make meatballs

• when hamburger is on sale and I can buy a lot
• when I have a few hours to keep popping batches in the oven. Then I just pack them in plastic bags and freeze!
• Voila! Instant homemade meatballs.

Holiday Meatballs

• Meatballs- figure 3-5 per person. Bake if you are using the frozen kind or use your own recipe and cook.
• 1- 16 oz. can cranberry sauce, jellied or whole, I use one of each.
• 1- 12 oz. bottle of chile sauce
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 T. lemon juice

After you've baked the meatballs, place them in a crockpot - or they can go in a warming server, electric skillet, or pot on the stove.

Heat the sauces, sugar and lemon juice just until boiling, stirring to combine and dissolve the sugar.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs, turn the crockpot on low and let it go until you are ready to serve. I generally double the sauce because I do let it simmer for several hours and the longer it cooks, the more sauce the meatballs absorb.

My kids like these over rice for a complete dinner but I often just take them as is to potlucks and people always rave!