GOOD OLD SLOPPY JOE's

Years ago, when our hungry teenage boys came home for dinner (with hungry buddies tagging along) it was a challenge to feed them all with one pan of Sloppy Joe's. Unexpected "guests" at the dinner table required some quick thinking, so I "stretched" this simple  tried and true recipe, by adding kidney beans, extra shredded veggies and cheese. It was always a big hit. Necessity is the mother of invention I guess, thank goodness for versatile recipes like this one.

 These days, with the kids all gone, I still make a big batch of Sloppy Joes (seems like I can only make our family favorites in BIG BATCHES for some reason).

These days, I freeze portions in Ziploc bags (patted to a 1" thick flat shape so it thaws quickly). I love "instant" meals like this.

1 pound lean ground beef (I use 90% lean)
½ cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup shredded carrot
2/3 cup ketchup
½ cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce (see note)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
5 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Cook the hamburger and onion together, chopping up the meat as it cooks (drain meat well).

Stir in remaining ingredients (except buns). Simmer on med-low for about 20 minutes (to reduce the consistency of the sauce). Fill the hamburger buns with the beef mixture and serve.

NOTE: After this is cooked, it keeps well in the crockpot if your dinner hour is uncertain.

NOTE: I serve these with a slice of cheese under the meat mixture and a squirt of yellow mustard on top of the filling (our favorite).

NOTE: I never have red pepper sauce on hand, so I always use a pinch of dry red pepper flakes instead.