Ingredients

• Meatballs
• 2 lbs ground pork (or lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground
•     chicken)
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice or pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 – 1 fresh serrano or other chili pepper, seeded and finely diced (optional)


• Cranberry Glaze
• 1 14-oz. can jellied or whole cranberry sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
• 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Frank's Hot Sauce, sriracha or Tabasco)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pork (or other ground meat), breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, allspice (or pumpkin pie spice), salt, fennel, garlic, a dash of black pepper, and the chopped chili, if using.


Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake meatballs until cooked through and lightly browned (12-15 minutes).


Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet (preferably nonstick), and fry meatballs until cooked through, rolling meatballs around occasionally to brown all sides. You may need to fry meatballs in batches, depending on the size of your skillet.)


While the meatballs are cooking, prepare Cranberry Glaze. (Note: If using whole cranberry sauce, blend in a blender or food processor first.) Pour cranberry sauce into a large skillet, Dutch oven or large soup pot. Stir in the vinegar, orange juice, brown sugar, mustard, ginger, hot sauce, salt and black pepper. Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until well-blended. Add meatballs and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring to coat. Serve with toothpicks on the side.