Tasty Tuesday - Sloppy Joes

When we lived in Russia nothing was easy, nothing was convenient and nothing was quick.  I quickly lost my perfectionist tendencies and just tried to accomplish one thing successfully each day.  Sometimes we describe our year in Russia as an endless search for food! Despite the difficulties we loved it there.

Needless to say cooking was a challenge. There was no world wide web to look up recipes. I had copies of my maternal grandmother's recipes from the 30s and 40s.  They were great since they used basic ingredients that I was able to get.  I had a few church cookbooks that used a lot of "box of this" and "can of that". For the most part they were no good at all.  

I used to spend hours trying to find something to cook.  (This was obviously before there were children to entertain!)  It was a happy day when I found this simple recipe for Sloppy Joes.  Even though we are back in the USA I still use it because it is so easy I can make it at the drop of a hat when I am short on ideas or time.  Everyone loves it every time.

Sloppy Joes 

credited to Joyce Scarborough
from Feeding Our Flock  by Jacksonville Christian Center

1 lb hamburger
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c ketchup
1 1/2 T Worchestershire sauce
1 t vinegar
1 t celery salt
1 t dry mustard
2 t sugar
2 t chili powder

Brown hamburger and drain.  Add other ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

We eat it on buns or over tortilla chips.  Sometimes wrapped in a tortilla.

Feeds 4 with no leftovers.

Notes:  
I never use celery salt since I didn't have it back then and we got used to it that way.  
I also only use 1 t chili powder, since 2 was too hot for me.
I use regular mustard, not dry also because of availability way back when.

This recipe reminds me that I don't really like to cook anymore.  After all the trials of cooking in Russia and then the time consuming food prep in Guatemala I just am worn out from it.  I like to sew and I will make no apologies for that.  I always say, "We can't all be good at everything."   Thankfully my family seems to understand that and accepts it.

Please don't misunderstand - I do feed my family a good dinner 5 days a week.  Sundays we go out after church or pick up something from the grocery deli and one day is always leftovers.  But I am not a great cook and I don't enjoy it like my sister and sister-in-law do.  Now, I will stop before I get on my soapbox about cooking!

This is a good recipe.  Try it out when you are short on time.