Party-Perfect Meatballs

To prepare in advance, follow step 2 and freeze the meatballs in zippered plastic freezer bags for up to 1 month. To reheat the meatballs instead of frozen ones, go to step 3 and heat the meatballs in the sauce over low heat. Before serving, keep them warm in a slow cooker, in a roasting pan over low heat, or in a fondue dish.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Chop the first 5 ingredients in a food processor 8-10 times or until they are crushed. Combine panko, the following 6 ingredients, and olive oil mixture in a large bowl until smooth. Form the mixture into 1-inch-thick balls and place them 1-inch apart in jelly roll molds lined with aluminum foil.Bake at 450 ° C for 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the dry pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the paste begins to brown and coat the bottom of the pan. Turn up the heat to high and add the beef broth, stirring to allow the tomato paste to run from the bottom of the pan. Whisk until smooth. Beat the hot pepper jelly until smooth. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cooked meatballs and serve warm.Note: The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.