Family Recipe Friday: Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Grandma "Peach" Wright in her kitchen

This recipe from my mom has been a favorite in our family:

My parents, Bill and Bonnie Wright, were avid readers.   My mother especially enjoyed reading recipes as well as novels.   She was always searching for new recipes to try.   So it is only natural that I would become an avid reader and recipe searcher.   I'm always looking for recipes that use ingredients that I have in my cupboards.   The following recipe came about after having eaten Sweet and Sour meatballs at a dinner at the local Elks Club many years ago.   While I can remember it having pineapple in it,  I knew that I wanted a recipe that used other ingredients.   While reading a Farm Journal Cookbook, I came upon this recipe.   It called for tomatoes which I grew and canned and the surprise ingredient in the sauce was gingersnap cookies, an old time favorite cookie.  

It appears that this recipe will be one that is handed down through the generations as everyone in our family has asked for a copy of it, even it is only the sauce.  This is great recipe for pitch-ins and easily works in a crock pot.  I especially like it because you can make it ahead of time.  Let meat balls bake while you fix the unusual sauce--quick and easy!   If you don't have time to make the meatballs from scratch which I think are better, you can use precooked meatballs from the store. 

Meatballs:

    3-4 cups bread crumbs                                          
    2 pounds ground beef                                           
    1/2 cup chopped onions                                         
    1/2 teaspoon garlic salt                                       
    1/4 teaspoon pepper                                            
    1 teaspoon salt                                                
    2 eggs slightly beaten    

                                                                           

Moisten bread crumbs slightly.  Combine with remaining ingredients, except Sweet-Sour Sauce.  Shape in balls the size of walnuts (1 /2"); place in jelly roll pan (15 1/2"x10 1/2"x 1").  (Or brown balls in skillet containing a little hot fat).  Bake in very hot oven (450) 15-18 minutes. Place balls in Sweet-Sour Sauce for Beef and simmer 10 minutes.  If balls are made ahead, add sauce to them and heat in the overn for 15 minutes.  Makes about 36-50 meat balls, 8-9 servings.

SWEET-SOUR SAUCE FOR BEEF:

1 (1lb.12oz.) can tomatoes (about 3 1/2 c.)
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. grated onion
10 ginersnaps, crushed

Combine all ingredients.  Cook to boiling.  Makes enough sauce for 36 (1 1/2") meat balls..   

Family Recipe Friday – is an opportunity to share your family recipes with fellow bloggers and foodies alike. Whether it’s an old-fashioned recipe passed down through generations, a recipe uncovered through your family history research, or a discovered recipe that embraces your ancestral heritage share them on Family Recipe Friday. This series was suggested by Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist.