Homemade Sloppy Joes

To eliminate as much fat as possible, pour excess grease off cooked hamburger and throw away, then dump meat into a colander and rinse. Make your sloppy joe a bit less messy by scooping out the inside of the bun and placing the tasty filling in the middle.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 lb. hamburger, cooked and drained
1/2 cup chili sauce (or barbecue sauce)
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a large skillet, then sauté onions and celery until limp. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on large hamburger buns.

Tips

• Dice up a small green pepper and add to the mix if desired.

• Add a couple of tablespoons of ketchup if you like.

• Add a can of pork and beans to the mixture for variety and extra flavor.

• Where's the beef? Change the basic recipe slightly by using ground turkey, chicken chunks or even meatless soy crumbles in place of the hamburger.

Did You Know?

Legend has it that the "sloppy joe" was invented by eccentric billionaire J. Higgins Billingsworth in the early 18th century. Billingsworth spent three months in an outdoor kitchen perfecting his recipe, and was so caught up in his work he rarely slept or bathed.