Slop, Slop, Sloppy Joe!

Every once in a while, I want to recreate one of my favorite dishes from my childhood: the sloppy joe! My mom used the ancient recipe of the "manwhich" meal and I loved every bite! When I got older, I decided I needed to bring back this modern delacacy! While I love a quick and easy meal, I don't like using a lot of processed foods such as Hamburger Helper or Manwhich, so I began my search for a homemade sloppy joe recipe. My search ended when I discovered The Pioneer Woman! I love, love, love her blog, her recipes, her ideas! Her recipes are so very brilliant, yet accessible to the inexperienced chef. I haven't made these in a while, but I am definitely putting this on my menu for next week. Happy cooking! 

Ingredients: 

2 Tbsp of butter

2 1/2 lb of ground beef

1/2 large whole onion diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup of water

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Worcestershire sauce (to taste)

2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Buns

Butter

Directions: 

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard. 

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes or until the vegetables begin to get soft. 

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, and water. Stir to combine and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and tabasco if desired. Taste and add seasonings as needed. 

Spread buns withe butter on a griddle or skillet. You can also toast them! Spoon meat mixture onto the buns and top with cheese if you like! 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/sloppy-joes/