New Year’s Eve is tomorrow can you believe it? I think we would all agree that 2016 has done it’s damage (spectacularly I would add) and it is time for it to go. I personally, am quite excited for 2017 for a whole host of reasons, but especially because I have a lot of ideas for things to bring you on the blog. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s start with these Thai Meatballs, the perfect appetizer to help ring in the New Year!
I wanted something special to serve for our Christmas Eve Dinner. I had decided on a sit-down dinner in our formal dining room for my in-laws since my husband’s side of the family is fairly small. I was making a Peppercorn Beef Tenderloin and Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes. This was going to be served with my Roasted Pear and Apple Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. But we were going to be eating a little late so I wanted to serve some appetizers. Garlic-butter shrimp, veggies and dip, but I needed something else. Something hearty. Something a little more exotic.
I do a lot of blog research on the internet and it was there that I found this amazing recipe for Thai Meatballs. Cassie Johnston from Wholefully posted about three ways to do meatballs using a super cool Crock Pot meant for parties (worth checking out her post just for this!). I thought all of these meatballs looked fabulous, but then I got way-laid looking through Cassie’s amazing site. I don’t know Cassie, but she has one stunning blog. When I finished drooling over her gorgeous country girl life, I got down to business-I had some meatballs to make.
But after you make your own meatballs, check out her site. Really. Or do it now, I’ll wait.
My family all likes spice-well, all of them except my five year old and my mother-in-law. And it WAS Christmas after all. So I toned down the spice while leaving all of the sticky goodness in place. I added a little more ground beef, mostly for convenience, although partially to stretch these Thai Meatballs just a little farther. Huge hit. Huge. I can’t even count how many meatballs my fourteen year old ate. And my five year old? My five year old who weights just a little over forty pounds? Seven meatballs! SEVEN!
Let’s just say that at the end of the night, the slow cooker was empty. No meatball leftovers.
Thai Meatballs, sure to delight your crowd!
So without further ado, here is how you can wow your guests for New Year’s Eve. And thank you, Cassie. My whole family thanks you!
Thai Meatballs
Ingredients
- MEATBALLS
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- SAUCE
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce I used Thai Kitchen
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- GARNISH optional
- peanuts chopped
- cilantro chopped
- green onions chopped
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
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Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl.
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Mix well, combining the meat with all of the spices (consider getting your hands dirty here, it truly is the easiest way).
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Form meat into small balls, approximately one inch in diameter.
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Place formed meatballs onto a baking sheet.
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Bake the meatballs for approximately 25 minutes, until meatballs are fully browned.
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Place all sauce ingredients into the bottom of the slow cooker.
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Whisk to combine and keep whisking until cornstarch is fully dissolved.
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Place the cooked meatballs into the slow cooker.
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Cook on high for approximately one hour until sauce has thickened.
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Serve on toothpicks with chopped peanuts, chopped cilantro and chopped green onions for garnish.
Again…if you wanted the original recipe, or to look at the gorgeous blog, Wholefully (and I definitely recommend that you do), click here.
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