Honey Garlic Meatballs
This is the kind of dinner that I can start mid-afternoon, barely pay attention to it, and have dinner ready at any point between 5 pm and 8 pm when we’re ready to eat and when everyone has made it home from martial arts and other activities. I typically serve the meatballs with rice. However, they also work well with leftover mashed potatoes or with dinner rolls for a sweet, tangy, spicy meatball sandwich option.
Honey Garlic Crock-Pot Meatballs
My choice for this recipe is miniature or bite-size (approximately 1-inch) frozen meatballs whenever possible. I’ve used “party” meatballs, homestyle meatballs, even Italian meatballs without any issues. I typically just use whichever meatballs are in my freezer. The sauce has so much flavor, it will be stronger than any of the underlying meatball flavors. It just plain works. While we love a little bit of heat with many of our meals, the chili paste in this recipe does more to deepen the flavor than “heat” the sauce. That said, if you’re leery of it, use the lesser amount or feel free to skip it entirely. It works both ways. Looking for more very simple, minimal effort meals? Easy recipes like Creamy Cajun Pasta and the Egg Roll Skillet are fast dinners that guarantee dinner on the table fast. Cheater Korean Beef and this Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet are a couple more lightning-fast ways to get dinner on the table and everyone loves them. Sticky Garlic Pork is another great option for a fast dinner with tons of flavor. Last, but not least, if these 30 Minute Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas aren’t on your regular meal plan, they should be, Enchiladas are a crowd-pleasing meal that I make for my crew at least once a month.
Choosing a Slow Cooker
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites: First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high. My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker? For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect. Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers. If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
