Mom'S Applesauce Meatballs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup applesauce
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
2 eggs
salt
pepper
flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Vegetables - this is important for the flavor and sauce
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, minced
1 carrot, thinely sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups tomato juice or 2 cups V8 vegetable juice

Preparation

Mix beef, applesauce, and bread crumbs.
Add eggs; season with salt and pepper.
Shape into small balls, roll in flour and brown in hot oil.
Place balls in a casserole dish.
To drippings in pan add vegetables and tomato juice.
Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, then pour over meat balls (this is an important step).
Cover and bake in a moderate oven of 350 degrees for about an hour, until vegetables have broken down and have created a nice sauce.
If desired, the gravy can be thickened with a little flour-water paste before serving.