Apple Glazed Meatballs (With A Vegetarian Version Too!)

I love rediscovering old recipe favorites. Ever since Pinterest became a hot thing, I've been guilty of always looking for something new to try and forgetting about some of the recipes that my family used to love. As I was looking through my recipe stash last week hoping to find a few good tried and true appetizers to make for Christmas, I came across an old magazine tear-out for Apple Glazed Meatballs.

Not only did it bring back delicious dinner memories, but also made me nostalgic for the days when I would get excited about receiving a magazine in the mail filled with scrumptious recipes waiting to be tried. Nowadays it's so easy to hop online and dig up any recipe your heart desires, but I'll always enjoy pulling out my binder and flipping through the pages I ripped out of magazines and newspapers, remembering how eager my younger self was to learn how to make good eats for my family.

I found this apple glazed meatball recipe in Better Homes and Gardens 2012 issue and have made it countless times over the years, but since becoming a vegetarian it's been kind of shoved to the back of my binder without a second thought. But, since I am the only vegetarian in my family, I thought we'd dust this recipe off and bring it back to the table for the holidays for the whole family to enjoy. Since I can't eat them, I did a little digging and found an awesome vegetarian meatball recipe from Chef John at Allrecipes. I used most of his recipe, then combined it with the glaze that I found in BHG magazine for one killer "meatball".

I did make my family the real beef version and then made myself the mushroom based version. I asked my husband if he wanted to try one of mine, and after sampling one he was really surprised that mine didn't contain any meat. "Are you tricking me? I never would have guessed these were vegetarian!" With that response, I'd say either version would be a hit.

Yield: Serves 4Author: Theresa M

Apple-Glazed Meatballs 

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 slices white bread, torn into small bits
• 1 lb 85% lean ground beef
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil for frying (I used avocado, but vegetable or olive oil works well too)

APPLE GLAZE INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
• 1 and 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Add bread bits and let sit for about 5 minutes until bread is just softened. Add ground beef, garlic, black pepper, salt, and cayenne. Using hands, mix thoroughly, then shape mixture into meatball rounds
2. Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until they are browned and crusty on the outside and no longer pink in the centers, roughly 6 minutes per batch. Drain fat from skillet and wipe clean with a paper towel.
3. For Apple Glaze: In a bowl, combine juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and cayenne. In the same skillet you cooked the meatballs, heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring until bubble and thickened (it should be at a full boil). Return meatballs to pan, stirring to coat with the glaze and to heat through. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with chopped parsley and sesame seeds for garnish, if desired. 

Original recipe source- BHG Magazine

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2017/12/apple-glazed-meatballs-with-vegetarian.html

Original recipe source- BHG Magazine

Yield: Serves 4Author: Theresa M

Apple-Glazed Vegetarian Meatballs

 

VEGETARIAN MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:

•  1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb portobello mushrooms, finely diced (I ground mine in a food processor)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup finely ground Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 eggs, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

APPLE GLAZE INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
• 1 and 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat, then add in mushrooms. Sprinkle in salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushroom liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the pan. Cook until mushrooms have reach a golden brown color.
2. Add onion to the mushrooms and continue to heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft and translucent. Remove skillet from heat and add garlic, stirring for about a minute until combined and fragrant. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.
3. Mix oats into the mushroom mixture until well combined; add in Parmesan cheese. Stir in bread crumbs, parsley, and 1 egg. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir in remaining egg. Now the mixture should hold together when pressed.
4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. For best texture and flavor, refrigerate overnight. 
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
6. Using hands, form mixture into small meatballs, then arrange on baking sheet. 
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until meatballs have turned a golden brown color. 
8. While meatballs are cooking, combine juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and cayenne in a saucepan. Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring until bubble and thickened (it should be at a full boil). Once meatballs are done cooking in the oven, transfer them to a bowl and pour the sauce over top. Gently stir to coat. Serve. 

Recipe adapted from Chef John at Allrecipes

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2017/12/apple-glazed-meatballs-with-vegetarian.html

Recipe adapted from Chef John at Allrecipes

What appetizers are on your holiday menu this year?