-For 2 people, I use about 1 ½ lbs of lean ground beef so we can have leftovers.

-1and ½ TBS butter

-½ a large onion, diced

-½ to a whole green pepper, diced. If you like more, add it!

-5 or 6 cloves of minced garlic

-about 1 and ½ cups of ketchup

-1-2 TBS brown sugar(depending how sweet you like it)

-2 tsp chili powder

-1 tsp dry mustard

-a shake or so of red pepper flakes (optional)

-a couple of shakes of Worcestershire sauce

-s & p to taste

Melt butter in a skillet, then brown the ground beef. Drain the fat.

Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until they begin to soften.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard, and pepper flakes, if desired. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. Add S & P. Add Worcestershire. Enjoy on plain or toasted rolls! 

I know….you probably already have your favorite Sloppy Joe recipe that you always make. This is the one I use. It’s a version of The Pioneer Woman’s. 

But this post is really about my weird love of Sloppy Joes…lol! I always bought them when they offered them at school with tater tots. I also remember my Mom making them occasionally. I don’t think my Dad was a fan, but it’s an easy dinner. She probably made them when she needed a quick meal on the table. 

Mom always cooked wholesome dinners that included a protein, a vegetable, and a starch. Maybe I was fond of Sloppy Joes because it was different from the usual lineup? I’m not sure, but I was always excited when they were on the dinner menu. 

There’s a strange twist, though, that I picked up from my Mom. I always eat them with yellow mustard and a soft bun. My husband thinks it’s weird. Speaking of Jack, just like my Dad, Joe’s isn’t his favorite either. But he knows I love them, so he will tolerate them when necessary.

When my sister, Barb, makes a batch for her family, she is always kind and brings me a small container! In my eyes, it’s as good as candy! 

So, when you’re reminiscing about Sloppy Joes like you’re in third grade, make them for dinner! Nostalgia is good for your soul. Enjoy! 

Some Sloppy Joe trivia in case you need it someday….lol

There are 2 theories on how the SJ originated….

Some attribute the original SJ to Sioux City, Iowa, at Floyd Angell’s Cafe in 1930. Legend has it that a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his ground beef sandwich. It made them delightfully messy, and the Sloppy Joe was born!

Others believe SJ’s started in 1933 at The Silver Slipper in Key West, Florida. Ernest Hemingway convinced his friend, Joe Russell, the owner, to change the name to Sloppy Joes after eating them in Havana, Cuba. Today, the bar/restaurant sells about 50,000 SJ’s a year!

The canned sauce, Manwich, was introduced for busy families in 1969.

I love Adam Sandler’s Sloppy Joe Lunchlady Land song. For fun, listen to it here!