A Fiesta Friday anniversary celebration!

Sound the trumpet, toot the horn, It’s a Fiesta Friday anniversary celebration!  Bravo Angie! It’s been a whole year since your Fiesta Friday gatherings and we are all here to celebrate its success!  I know you are always too modest to accept praise and recognition, but if it weren’t for you, this wonderful, virtual gathering of friends from around the world would never have happened.  We have all learned so much from each other, made friends along the way and passed on an amazing number of recipes, tips and tricks from our kitchens.  It feels like family now when I attend the gatherings each Friday and interact with all of you.  Angie has created something very special for all of us and for that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  Linky parties?  Who knew……..

To celebrate this jubilant occasion, I’m bringing molasses-lime chicken meatballs to share.    Meatballs are always a big hit at any party. I’ve trimmed the fat so to speak and made a healthier version of the regular meatballs.  Ground chicken, oatmeal, Italian turkey sausage are formed with other spices and doused in a molasses and lime sauce.  I’ve brought some bubbly along as well.  Cheers Fiesta Friday revelers, here’s one we will remember for sometime to come.  Today’s entries are Aperitifs & Cocktails as well Appetizers & Amuse-Bouches.  We will continue to celebrate next week too, when main courses and desserts will be part of the menu – I can hardly wait to party and get my dancing shoes on – there is music isn’t there?  I just love to dance 🙂

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 8 ounces uncooked hot Italian turkey sausage (casings removed)
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 tablespoons molasses
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, sausage, oats, egg, green onion, Worcestershire sauce and crushed red pepper.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
3. Shape mixture into balls and place on baking sheet.
4. Heat oven to 350 deg F.
5. Place baking sheet in oven and brown meatballs on both sides.  Continue cooking in a slow cooker on low for 2 hours.
6. When cooked, in a small bowl, whisk together molasses, soy sauce and lime juice.  Pour over meatballs.  Toss gently to coat.  Serve immediately or keep warm covered on warm or low-heat setting in the slow cooker.

These savory meatballs are a sure crowd pleaser.  The first bite will be a tangy and sweet combination, you can even taste a hint of the crushed red chilli pepper and the smokiness of the hot Italian sausage.   Here’s to you Angie, I hope you are able to luxuriate in all the attention and accolades (and deservedly so).  Thanks to our wonderful co-hosts Hilda and Juliana.  Check out their amazing blogs.