EHRMAGERSH MERT BERLS

Meat balls. This is my go-to "take a finger food to the Christmas party" recipe. First, because it's relatively easy, second, because it's more nutritious (it's actually protein) than much of the things that get taken, and often if I go to a "finger food" party, that's going to be my meal for that meal time, so it's disappointing to show up to a table full of nothing but cookies and fudge. (Also, not really eating crisp or hard cookies these days: teeth)

And finally: everyone I know (of the people who eat meat that is) who has tried this likes it.

I start the balls in the oven, and finish them in the slow cooker. You could do them entirely in the slow cooker but I think it's better to brown them a little first. I usually brown them for 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet in the oven, and then transfer to the slow cooker and add the sauce.

Recipe is from Mable Hoffman's Healthy Crockery Cookery. I usually double it but will give the recipe as written. Doubling it makes a lot of meatballs, which is good for a party.

Sauce: (make this, put a small amount in the bottom of the slow cooker, then add the rest after you put the meatballs in)

1/2 cup seedless (if you can find it!) raspberry preserves
2 Tablespoons raspberry or pomegranate vinegar
2 Tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

(I sometimes double the sauce even if I'm not doubling the amount of meatballs; as the recipe is written it's a slightly scanty amount of sauce)

Meatballs:
1 1/4 pound lean ground turkey breast (could also use ground chicken)
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup minced onion
1 beaten egg
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire saue
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Combine the meat, onions, seasonings, oats. Mix well. Add the beaten egg and mix well. Form into balls (I make them about an inch to an inch and a half in diameter - this recipe will make between 30 and 45 depending on how big you make them)

To brown them, place on a greased cookie sheet and cook 15 minutes or so in a 350 degree oven.

Then transfer to the slow cooker. Put the rest of the sauce on top of the meatballs. (You can also put this all in a bowl and refrigerate overnight if you want to cook them the next day)

To cook in slow cooker: Cook it on Low for 6 hours. (Probably you can do a little less if you browned/cooked the meatballs first in the oven)

At last minute: Turn control to High. Then: dissolve one teaspoon cornstarch in one Tablespoon of cold water. Pour it onto the meatballs and cook 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.

For a garnish, it is nice to put finely chopped scallions (green onions) on top.

As I said, this is one of the simplest "cooked" things you can make for a party like this. It's good, it's good left over and heated back up, most people seem to like it. The sauce is good and different but the meatball mixture itself is so plain that you could also use a tomato sauce, or an onion sauce, or a barbecue sauce, or you could sub grape jelly for the raspberry preserves and it would still be good.

I also stole a little of the mixture last night and cooked it in one of my mini-cocottes for a mini meatloaf. I cooked it 20 minutes and then put some barbecue sauce on top of it, turned it down to 250, and cooked it for 20-25 more minutes. And it was good that way too.