"So you're making the KICK-ASS sloppy Joes!"

That was Chaim's reaction when I told him what I was making for dinner tonight. This recipe is so easy, so delicious, and so much better than anything that comes from a can.

Sloppy Joes

(adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, Martha Stewart Living)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the tomamto sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce into the beef mixture in the skillet. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.

Season the mixture with more salt and pepper, as desired. Spoon onto the buns, and serve immediately.

4 servings

This is what Miriam was doing while I was making dinner: