Christmas Books, with recipe

I love Christmas! And I love Christmas books.
Each year, I take out my favorites and reread.

Today's feature is: Four Midwestern Sister's Christmas Book, by Holly J. Burkhalter.

Schmaltzy and syrupy and I love every single word. It's the authors story of Christmases with her large family in Ames, Iowa and their love of baking, music, books, family, and snow. Plus the author worked for Human Rights Watch in DC, which speaks volumes to her humanity.

This book is like a worn-out but much-loved quilt wrapped around me. It reminds me of my two midwestern sisters, and cousins, grandmas, etc. although we're not quite that nice. Plus it's chock full of recipes that are wicked good. When my sister-in-law joined the family I searched the internet high and wide to find this out-of-print gem, and I finally found one much over the original price. If you have a copy, hold on to it, they are rare.

I'll share a recipe that I've tried - yummy!

CRANBERRY COCKTAIL MEATBALLS

Meatballs:
2 lbs ground round
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 eggs
2T. soy sauce
1/2t. pepper
1t. minced garlic
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Sauce:
1 can (16ozs.) jellied cranberry sauce
1 bottle (12ozs.) chile sauce
1T. brown sugar
1T. lemon juice

Mix meatball ingredients together in a large bowl. Form into walnut-size balls and place in a large square baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350. In a sauce pan, mix together the sauce ingredients.. Stir and simmer until the cranberry sauce melts. Pour over the meatballs and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Serve in a chafing dish.