Recipe(tried): Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs, Baked Brie en Croute with Mushrooms

CAROL'S CRANBERRY COCKTAIL MEATBALLS
Makes 5 dozen, 12 servings

FOR THE MEATBALLS:
2 lbs ground beef chuck
1 (12 oz) bottle chili sauce (like Heinz)
1 cup corn flakes crumbs
2 eggs
1/3 cup catsup
1/3 cup fresh minced parsley
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
FOR THE SAUCE:
1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tbsp minced green onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tbsp brown sugar

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl; stir well. Shape meat mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in an ungreased 15x10x1-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake uncovered at 500 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain meatballs and transfer to a chafing dish and keep warm.

Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring occasionally.

Pour over meatballs. Serve warm.

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Another very good "gourmet-type" appetizer is

BAKED BRIE EN CROUTE

Baked Brie alone is good. But you can get fancy, too!

4 oz. shiitake mushrooms
Butter for sauteing
1/4 tsp. tarragon
2 garlic cloves
2 oz. wine
16 oz. Brie wheel
1/2 lb filo or frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

Saute mushrooms with tarragon, garlic and a bit of wine until the mixture is almost dry (the mushrooms should be sliced or chopped).

Take a wheel of Brie and slice it in half. Put the mushroom mixture in the middle and wrap it in filo or puff pastry dough. I use scraps of pastry to cut out leaves and make small grape-size balls to put on top for decoration.

Put in the freezer for 20 minutes until firm. (At this point, it can be put in the refrigerator until needed.)

Bake it in a preheated 350 degree F oven until the pastry browns. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.