Food Network Scholar: Cranberry Meatballs

Television Feasts

I am a home cook who backyard gardens and has a serious closet addiction to the Food Network. I envision visiting the world in my own kitchen.

From Julia to Giada, I am a bi-product of the quirky world of anything food television. At age 10 I wanted to lunch with Julia; at 12 I thought sitting at Graham Kerr's table would be bliss; in college I was a diligent voyeur student of Jeff Smith's; and as a newlywed I envisioned myself being Martha. Then the sky opened up and violin music played in the background when I discovered an entire family of food shows on the blossoming food network. Twenty years later I am still a home chef with a backyard garden, yet in my head I am a trained chef who has eaten her way around the world, tasted all things exotic, competed in many challenges, judged the best of the best, and have a circle of friends which includes Emeril, Bobby, Rachael and more. I like to learn and challenge myself simply for the pleasure of all things food. I am a student of the University of Food Network and my textbooks, exams and extra-curricular activities all stem from channel 39.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Cranberry Meatballs

It is holiday party time of the year. My husband asked me to make an appetizer for his office party (AND an ugly sweater, which btw, he took the prize for the ugliest sweater. Ah, so nice to be able to use that $$ college art degree on an Ugly Christmas Sweater contest!). I decided on these meatballs because they are festive and easily kept in a crock pot on warm throughout the afternoon because the employees are not able to all eat lunch at the same time. I would rank this recipe as easy, yet a little labor intensive. I lined my baking sheet with foil to help with clean up-you know I hate the whole doing dishes side of cooking. These are delicious and sort of fancy. He came home and said the group enjoyed them; although, really, what could he say?
Just as a side note. The crock pot pictured is my original Crock Pot. I could not part with it, even though I have others that are newer. Oh my it was beat up and nasty looking on the outside. I have had it for more than 35 years! I decided to perk it up. I removed the knob, sanded it lightly with a fine sandpaper and painted it with chalkboard paint. I put the knob back on and I write on it with chalk. Voila! Fun, and an easy way to tell guests what's cooking!

Cranberry Meatballs
printable recipe

2 eggs beaten
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1/3 c. minced parsley
1/3 c. ketchup
2 T. finely chopped onion
2 T. soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. ground meat

Sauce:
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 bottle (12 oz.) chili sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. prepared mustard
1 T. lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced