Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joe sandwiches are an American favorite and these sandwiches are something that I grew up eating and loved. When I think of eating Sloppy joes, I think of Independence day or Pioneer Day (A Utah Holiday). Each year on one of these holidays, my mom would make a huge pot of sloppy joe mixture which my family would go crazy for. I remember the wonderful aroma of the joe mixture simmering on the stove. The smells of it simmering all afternoon would make everyone's mouths water and the anticipation of waiting to eat it was almost unbearable. Sloppy Joes are very simple to make. It only requires a little prep work of chopping veggies and throwing them along with your meat choice and sauce mixture into your pot and letting simmer for several hours. What I like about this recipe is that it only simmers 20-30 minutes!! I think this amount of cooking time is great and makes for a perfect during- the- week-night- meal. This sloppy joe recipe has a few variations from my moms but I like this recipe just as much. This recipe has more of a sweet tangy taste which is contributed to the bbq sauce/brown sugar that the recipe calls for. The recipe also calls for mushrooms which I have never thought of adding before but the mushrooms make for an interesting surprise. The mixture can also be topped with a slice of provolone cheese which makes for another irresistible and interesting addition. This recipe would be a perfect main course to serve for a picnic, holiday celebration or family reunion. Enjoy~~!

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. Ground beef or Turkey ( I prefer to cook with Ground Turkey)
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
1 T. Brown sugar
1 teas. dry mustard
salt and pepper to tast
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Vinegar
Sliced Provolone cheese
Hamburger Buns

Step 1 : In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown meat, celery, green pepper, mushrooms, and onion. Drain of any excess grease. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.
Step 2: Cover and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. If after 20 minutes the mixture still seems watery, simmer for a little longer or until the mixture has thickened.
Step 3: Serve on a bun and top with a slice of provolone cheese.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen