Barbecue Meatballs

I made these as an hors d'oeuvres (okay, I'll admit, I had to look up the correct spelling for that)
for my small group. Everyone loved them, but I had made a huge batch (double this recipe) and we had a lot leftover, so my family ate them for dinner the next night, with sweet potato fries and green beans. They work really well as an appetizer or dinner. They take a little time to prepare, but I much prefer homemade meatballs to the storebought ones. Plus, they're much cheaper to make.
I think they'd be equally good with breadcrumbs instead of the oats, and the sauce could definitely still be tasty if you decreased the sugar by 1/2 a cup or even more. As is, they were a big hit.....everyone complimented me on them and my husband loved them. What more could you ask for?

Recipe:

1-1/2 pounds ground beef (I used part ground turkey)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup quick cooking oats (I used old fashioned)
4 ounces evaporated milk (or regular milk)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup chopped onion

Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a bowl, mix beef, egg, oats, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and 1/2 cup onion. Form into 1-1/2 inch balls and arrange in a single layer in a greased baking dish or foil lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn meatballs over and bake 10-15 more minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
While meatballs are baking, combine sauce ingredients and simmer on the stove.
Remove baked meatballs from pan and place in a slow cooker. Pour sauce over meatballs and stir gently to cover evenly.
Cook on low heat for 1-3 hours, or until ready to serve.