Apple Spice Meatballs Recipe

Apple Spice Meatballs Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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I love this recipe because it is so full of wonderful flavors. A little spicy and a little sweet, these fabulous meatballs score huge at tailgate parties or holiday buffets. —Joyce Conway, Westerville, Ohio

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Apple Spice Meatballs Recipe

Prep: 50 min. Bake: 15 min.

Yield: 72 Servings

50 15 65

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound ground beef
XKick-up the flavor
With Johnsonville Italian Sausage.
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1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
SAUCE:
1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 jar (12 ounces) apple jelly
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls.
Place meatballs on greased racks in shallow baking pans. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Gently stir in 6 dozen cooked meatballs and heat through. Save the remaining meatballs for Hungarian Pepper Soup with Romano Crisps or save for another use. Yield: 6 dozen plus leftovers.

Leftover: Hungarian Pepper Soup with Romano Crisps

Nutritional Facts 1 meatball equals 52 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 115 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein.

Originally published as Apple Spice Meatballs in Taste of Home Christmas Annual Annual 2012, p85