Maple-Glazed Party Meatballs: The Perfect Appetizer

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 0.5 pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed
• 0.5 pound ground beef
• 0.5 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 0.5 cup chopped cooked bacon
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup water
• 0.5 cup Grade A maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon chicken soup base
• 0.13 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 3 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
• wooden toothpicks (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until softened, approximately 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine Italian sausage, ground beef, bread crumbs, crumbled bacon, egg, salt, pepper, and the cooked onion-garlic mixture. Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Shape the mixture into approximately 14 meatballs, each about 2 inches in diameter, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are fully cooked and no longer pink inside, around 20-25 minutes. Use a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
5. While the meatballs are baking, prepare the maple glaze. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, combine water, pure maple syrup, soup base, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly. Simmer until the glaze has reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove the maple glaze from the heat and let it cool slightly. Use a spatula to scrape any syrup clinging to the sides of the skillet and stir it back into the glaze.
7. Transfer the baked meatballs to a serving platter and drizzle generously with the prepared maple glaze. Garnish with cooked, crumbled bacon and serve warm with toothpicks for easy serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 182 kcal
• Fat Content: 11 g
• Fiber Content: 0 g
• Sugar Content: 7 g
• Sodium Content: 444 mg
• Protein Content: 9 g
• Cholesterol Content: 42 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 12 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g