Sloppy Joe...Slop..Sloppy Joe

I know what you're thinking.  Sloppy Joes on a food blog?  Is she serious?  Well, this ain't no Mamwich :)  I had decided to make homemade sloppy Joes with grass-fed ground meat and the green pepper and hot pepper from my CSA box.  However, my green pepper was not looking so hot, and I sadly had to pitch it :(

Spicy Homemade Sloppy Joes
- 1 lb lean ground beef (I used grass-fed)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 small hot pepper (I used half of the one in the picture below), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp. Dion Mustard (No HFCS in Dijon by the way!)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (used this instead of ketchup since it also does not have HFCS)
- 1 can fire roasted crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
- 2 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
- whole wheat buns

In a large skillet or a dutch oven, pour about 1 tbsp. olive oil.   Cook the meat, onion, and pepper over medium-high heat until the meat is brown and the onion and pepper are soft.  Season with salt and pepper.

When the meat and onion and pepper are almost cooked, grate the garlic cloves over top.  (If you add them too early, they will burn.)  Drain the meat mixture in a strainer to get rid of any grease.  Return the meat and onion mixture to the skillet or dutch oven.  Add the tomato paste, Dijon, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and the fire roasted tomatoes.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat and let it simmer for about 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and let rest for about 5 minutes to thicken. 

Before serving, add the sour cream and incorporate into the Sloppy Joe mixture.

You don't have to do this, but that pepper was HOT so it served a few purposes.  The sour cream cooled it down some, made it a little creamier, and helped thicken the Sloppy Joes.  Put on a toasted bun and top with a slice of cheese, if desired. 

Tom ate two and he hardly ever eats seconds :)  The best part is we have left overs for tomorrow!  Thanks for reading :)  Let me know how they turn out!  I will definitely be making these again sometime.