One of the super fun things about having a new baby is that all the people you love shower you with meals so you can adjust to your new family.  When my first child was born over 10 years ago, a couple from our Sunday School class brought this sloppy joe recipe to us.  It was so cute – in a basket with buns and chips, brownies and bottles of pop, plus all the paper goods we needed for dinner!  All we had to do is heat it up when we were ready to eat.  It was so delicious that I still make this recipe for my family and also when I need to bring a meal to others.

So I’m kicking off my Superbowl week with this!  I thought it might be an easy meal to throw in a crockpot, grab a package of buns and bring it to the Superbowl party.  First, brown 1 pound ground beef in a pan.  Once it’s almost cooked, add 1 onion, chopped and 1 green pepper, chopped.  Cook until onions are translucent.  

 Add

3/4 c. catsup

3 T. BBQ sauce

1 1/2 T. yellow mustard

1 T. sugar

1 T. vinegar

1/4 c. water

Simmer for 30 minutes.  This is where I would put it in the crockpot for a while if I were taking it to a party!  It’s a relatively simple meal to make.  It heats up well, so it’s fast to make in advance and quickly heat when you need it.  I have to caution you, though, that it doesn’t freeze well.  It seems really soupy for some reason once you defrost it.  If you wanted to freeze, my recommendation would be to cook the meat, onions and green pepper and freeze that.  Then when you go to eat it, you can add the remaining ingredients and simmer.