Dr Pepper Habanero Meatballs

Heat a large skillet over medium heat while you're prepping the habanero peppers, onions, and garlic. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the skillet and circle the pan around until the entire surface is covered.

Add the habanero peppers and the onions to the skillet. Cook until fragrant and soft. The onions will turn slightly translucent after about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the skillet and roast for about 2 more minutes.

Remove the vegetables from the skillet and cool in a small bowl. Set aside a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and the beaten eggs. Combine with a wooden spoon or your hands.

Add in the cooled peppers, onions, and garlic. Mix well. Begin to roll meatballs in your palms. You should end up with about 32 small meatballs that fit into the palm of your hand, but you can also make larger ones that are the size of your first.

In the same large skillet, add the remaining olive oil. Sear meatballs in batches. You don't want to crowd your meatballs, and you also don't want them to stick to the bottom. Sear one side for about 1 minute, and flip to repeat. Remove and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, add the additional garlic, Dr Pepper, tomato sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the meatballs to the pot. Stir gently so the meatballs don't break apart, but a few broken meatballs never hurt anyone.

Cover with a lid and reduce the sauce by half. This took about 20 minutes on our stovetop, though you should stir the sauce and meatballs every 7 minutes or so to prevent the meatballs from sticking to the bottom and burning.

When the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a consistency you like (you can go thicker or thinner), you can serve these right up!