Football Food

I love football season.  I like it when the weather turns cooler, the leaves start to fall from the trees and every weekend we can look forward to the football games.  On Saturdays we hoot and holler for our beloved Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.  And then on Sunday, it's the Falcons, Broncos and Colts.  With all that action on the tube, the food needs to be easy and quick to prepare.  On today's menu is homemade Sloppy Joes.

I was never a big fan of Sloppy Joes when I was a kid.  I thought they were okay, but my Mum's version of adding ground beef to a can of Manwich just didn't do much for me.  Then, I discovered this recipe for a chuckwagon version of this dish.  And I became a believer!  These Joes are yummy!  They are easy to prepare and taste great.  Serve them up with some homemade coleslaw, chips and pickles and you have a crowd pleaser.

Here's the recipe for you -

CHUCKWAGON SLOPPY JOES

1 cup each, finely chopped celery, bell pepper & onion

1-2 Tblsp. vegetable oil

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

4 Tblsp. chili powder

1 1/4 cups ketchup

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp. vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

• In a large skillet, cook and stir chopped vegetables in oil until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add beef; cook and stir, breaking up and browning meat, about 15 minutes.  Drain off excess fat if needed.
• Add brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, ketchup, beef broth and vinegar; stir to combine all ingredients.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, spoon mixture on burger rolls and top with cheese or other toppings of your choosing. 

            Mmmmmmmmm . . .  good!