Two. Years. Some days it feels like March 2020 was yesterday. Other days it feels like it was sooooooo long ago. This pandemic has messed with so many things, my sense of time included.
There will be times I mention something about school and my oldest has to remind me "Mom, that was Freshman year!" He's a Junior now- and the school year is more than half over. In that way time has flown.
But in other ways the past two years feel like they have dragged on far too long, and I think we are all ready to breathe again and find what normal looks like now.
How many time in the last 24 months have we heard the words "supply chain issues"? I can honestly say before March 2020, I don't know if I ever heard them before, let alone uttered them.
From the beginning days when there was no toilet paper or hand sanitizer to be found, to fast forward to present day and grocery store shelves are still empty in some areas and you never know week to week what you will be able to find.
What things are still hard to find in your area? Here in northern Indiana, as of late they include jarred gravy, fresh chicken tenderloins, frozen french fries and potatoes, some frozen vegetables, juice boxes, and canned sloppy joe sauce...leading us to this recipe!
Ironically, I just saw the canned sloppy joe sauce yesterday at the store, but last month when I needed it, there was none to be found- name brand or generic!
No biggie. Believe me I know what a small problem it was; and let me say this too. I realize the supply chain issues we've been dealing with over the last 2 years are very minor to what others face around the world daily. I do. But that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to be frustrated when we are standing in the grocery store trying to re-do our menu plans because we can't find an ingredient we needed. For someone like me, those situations can be stressful and bring anxiety- and when it happens almost weekly it can become exhausting.
Anyway, not being able to find the canned mix forced me to make some sloppy joes from scratch. I used to do it a lot when Alex was little, but over the years I got lazy. Yep, I admit it!
If you've never made them like this, it's super easy, and having control over the ingredients is always an added bonus!
These sammies are great for a weeknight supper, game day food or even camping take along! They are made stove-top, but could easily be kept warm in the Crock Pot. You could even make the meat mixture, freeze it and reheat it when it was time to serve! Very versatile!
Supply chain issues are now part of our every day vernacular. One way to lessen the stress when they arise is to have some simple recipes ready to go when those convenience ingredients are no where to be found!
If you are serving a crowd, set everything out and let everyone build their perfect Joe. You could always prepare the recipe as is, and then put it in a slow cooker on warm to last the whole party. That tip is also great for when the kids are coming and going from sports and after school activities and everyone is eating at different times!
Homemade Sloppy Joes
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup
2 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups beef broth
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl. Set aside. Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven until no longer pink. Drain if needed Add garlic and mix well. Add one cup beef broth, scraping the bottom of pan. Add ketchup mixture and remaining cup of beef broth. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 40 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is slightly thick. Be sure to stir a few times during cooking to avoid scorching. Serve on buns with cheese, pickles, peppers, etc.
Shared at Weekend Potluck
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