Believe it or not, I’m a pretty healthy eater most of the time. I’m actually pretty obsessive about my vegetable consumption, and I monitor my protein and fiber intakes. I buy organic when I can, and I just got a subscription to Clean Eating magazine. So what I’m saying is that I know how human beings are supposed to eat for optimal health. I understand it. But I’m still going to tell you about how I made these totally gross, totally great meatballs for a party this weekend.
When I mentioned H’s and my upcoming Christmas party last week, you guys gave me some great suggestions for appetizers! When Jayne mentioned meatballs, I tried Googling a quick recipe for sauce, but as soon as I typed in the word “meatballs,” the words “grape jelly” popped up. Naturally, I was intrigued.
It turns out that meatballs in a grape jelly/chili sauce mixture are a super common party food. How did I not know about this? An acceptable sub for the grape jelly is canned cranberry sauce, and there was actually a display for the recipe at the grocery. Does this recipe sound disgusting? Yes. Is it full of preservatives and things that are terrible for you? Totally. Is it, against all the beliefs I hold dear, kind of awesome? You bet.
Healthy eating is great, but sometimes you just want to eat cheese dip made of Velveeta, or a casserole made with canned soup, or meatballs with a sauce that utilizes an entire 32 ounce jar of grape jelly. That’s life.
And for the record, people loved these meatballs. You know why? Because meatballs are wonderful. And no one asked me, “By the way, do these meatballs happen to have grape jelly in them?” They just tasted like they were covered in a hybrid of sweet and sour sauce and barbecue sauce.
Make them for a party, but maybe don’t tell people what’s in them. They aren’t necessarily “classy,” but anyone who eats meat will probably like them.
Grape Jelly Meatballs
adapted from Cooks.com
2 12 oz jars chili sauce (Heinz makes a popular one, but I used the store brand)
1 32 oz jar grape jelly
1 2 lb bag of meatballs (give or take. Mine actually had about 2.5 pounds)
Place meatballs in a crockpot and cover with the chili sauce and grape jelly. Stir things around, but don’t worry if the jelly’s lumpy. It will thin out once it starts heating up. Heat on high for a few hours, stirring occasionally and checking to make sure the meatballs aren’t getting overcooked and falling apart. Your crockpot might take less or more time. Basically, just make sure the meatballs are heated all the way through and you’re good. Serve them out of the crockpot. Boom! Cooking dish and serving dish, all in one! You can also make this on the stove top…just heat the meatballs until they’re cooked through. It’s the easiest thing ever.
I love easy meatball recipes! Sounds delicious. I’m so glad they were a hit.