Simple and smokey oven baked meatballs

Hello readers!

We are back in the swing after my quickie trip up north.  I got to have lots of newborn cuddles of my newest niece and catch up with her big sisters - have to say it's wonderful being able to just be the fun aunty rather than a Mummy too - because usually when I see my nieces I spend most of the time hosting/parenting rather than just having fun with the adorables.  Lovely times.

Of course it was excellent hanging out with my parents and my sister. I cried when I said goodbye to her because I really miss not bringing our kids up together - seeing each other a few times year if we're lucky just isn't enough... but that's life isn't it - to persue our dreams means at times we have to move a little further afield.  Geography sucks sometimes.

So onto our meatballs.

Yesterday I was feeling a little blah so I wanted something simple and something to involve my two almost-five (going on fifteen) year olds.  This fit the bill perfectly as they love touching food and it kept them busy whilst I prepared the rest and washed up.


Ingredients:
500g lean beef mince
1 large onion, finely diced and divided in two
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tb honey
1 tb liquid smoke

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees c

Mix beef with garlic, 1/2 the onion, chilli powder, oats and egg.

Roll into balls about the diameter of a 50c coin.  For the kids I lay out a sheet of baking paper, draw a circle for each child and they will measure their balls on it! Easy!

Place balls on a baking tray with at least 1 inch lip.

Make your sauce my mixing in a small bowl or container the other 1/2 onion, tomato sauce, brown sugar, honey, liquid smoke and 2 tb water.  Mix well and pour over the meatballs.

Bake for 40 minutes - serve as canapes or with some salad or mash and vegetables!

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