Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I remember eating sweet and sour meatballs as a child and I loved them. However, I don’t recall my mother ever making them since I was in elementary school. One day while I was in college, as I was walking home from campus, I started craving this dish. As soon as I got to our apartment I grabbed a recipe book so I could make this yummy meal. Unfortunately there was no recipe, so I took the liberty of combining a few different recipes to get what I wanted. It is now a family favorite.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup onion

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

3/4 cup bread or cracker crumbs

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice (I use the latter)

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend well. Shape into 1 inch balls and place in a 9*9 sprayed dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Add the sauce about 15 minutes into cooking.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

2/3 cup pineapple juice (I just buy the little flip top cans and use one of those)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger

In a small saucepan, combine only the brown sugar and the cornstarch. Mix thoroughly. Stir in vinegar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic powder and ginger. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Pour over the meatballs as they finish cooking in the oven.

Goes well with rice and veggiees.

Enjoy!