Meatballs and their sauces come in many different flavors

Of the 13 recipes we tested, we had three clear favorites, starting with this recipe from Debbie Brezover, which her mother, Betty Sippel of New Berlin, has been making for more than 30 years. "When I saw the request for meatball recipes in the Sunday newspaper, I immediately called my mom and asked if I could submit her Party Meatballs recipe," Brezover wrote. "She had just made them for Christmas Eve and I had eaten over a dozen of them!"

Brezover said the meatballs can be mixed and shaped a day ahead, then baked the day of the party. The apricot preserves add a pleasant sweetness, complemented by the tang of the barbecue sauce.

Party Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

2 cups soft bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons margarine

1 jar (12 ounces) apricot preserves

1/2 cup barbecue sauce (Open Pit recommended)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, combine meats, bread crumbs, eggs, onion, parsley and salt. Mix lightly. Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls.

In skillet over medium to medium-high heat, brown meatballs in margarine. Place browned meatballs in 13-by-9-inch pan.

Prepare sauce by combining preserves and sauce in small bowl. Pour over meatballs. Cover and bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15 to 25 minutes. Makes 4 to 5 dozen, 15 to 20 appetizer servings.

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Susan Martin of Portage wrote that she loves to serve meatballs at gatherings. We agree that her sweet and tangy meatball recipe is top- notch party fare.

"They are hearty and tasty and their aroma alone draws guests to the buffet," she said. If one wants to serve a variety of hors d'oeuvres, "the time and mess involved in meatball preparation may steer the host or hostess to easier finger foods."

This recipe, however, solves that problem because the meatballs must be baked from a frozen state.

"I make them up to six weeks before a party and retrieve them from the freezer about 90 minutes before the guests are expected," Martin wrote. "They are always a hit, and do make party preparation so much easier!"

Make sure you have enough freezer space for the cookie sheets, however, because this recipe makes 150 meatballs -- ideal if you have a chest freezer.

Barbecued Meatballs

3 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

2 eggs