Cola Meatballs

 
     My fourteen year old nephew has been visiting this week and decided he wanted to try his hand at dutch oven cooking.  I thought these Cola Meatballs from Mr. Food looked like a good starter recipe and something that would appeal to a teenager's palette.  Not only did he do a fantastic job of cooking dinner, these sweet, tangy mini-meatloaves were downright delicious.  They baked with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 22 on top and were bubbling and brown in 40 minutes.  Serve them with rice or potatoes and a big spoon to help gobble up all those tasty juices.

Cola Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 small onion, finely chopped, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 cup cola
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 medium-sized green bell pepper, finely chopped

     Lightly oil or spray a 12 inch dutch oven.
     In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, water, half of the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; mix well.  Form into meatballs and place in prepared dutch oven.
     In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, including the remaining onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well then pour over the meatballs.
     Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are cooked through.  Makes 24 meatballs.

Juicy meatballs bathed in a tangy sauce

Serve them over a bed of rice