Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs

If you grew up with bouffants, princess phones, and kitchens in avocado green, you probably remember when saucy meatballs first became the rage at church fellowships and neighborhood parties in the ’burbs. The secret ingredient was (drumroll, please)… grape jelly! It’s still the secret ingredient, bringing a sweetness to the heat and spice of companion ingredients like chili sauce and barbecue sauce. And we still love those sweet-tangy-saucy little bites. They’re always crowd pleasers in the South, and they’re strictly a dump-and-stir proposition. Whisk together the sauce and give your slow cooker a spritz of cooking spray. In go the meatballs, in goes the sauce. Toss. Cook. Done. Sprinkle chives on top before serving. Actually, you don’t even have to serve them. Just place a container of toothpicks next to your slow cooker, and guests can serve themselves. There’s no easier dish this side of a pineapple sandwich. Try them and find out why this groovy appetizer from back in the day is still a hit.