Meatballs in Honey Buffalo Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 15 Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• sauce:
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons apricot spreadable fruit
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Hot cooked rice or pasta
• Sliced celery, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first 10 ingredients. Add meat; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape meat mixture into 1-1/2-in. balls; bake on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan lined with foil until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together sauce ingredients until brown sugar is dissolved.
2. Transfer meatballs to a 3-qt. slow cooker; add sauce. Cook, covered, on low until meatballs are cooked through, about 2 hours. Serve with hot cooked rice or pasta and, if desired, sliced celery.