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I used to be terrified of sloppy joes. It's true. When I was a little girl, I got it in my head that sloppy joes were demons, and that if I ate them I'd become possessed and die.

Okay, listen. I know that sounds crazy. But thanks to my best friend Becky, who was a strong Baptist, demon possession was among the largest of my childhood fears. Becky and I thought my parents' basement was possessed, she thought magazine was possessed, and I, in turn, came to believe sloppy joes—yes, the 

favorite made with in a —were possessed.

I've since come to see the light. I've made my peace with sloppy joes. And Becky's made her peace with magazine. We've both grown a lot in our faith. 

There's absolutely nothing gourmet or fancy (or demonic) about these sloppy joes, and the balance of ingredients is just right! I like to grill the buns, but you don't have to. This is the perfect !

What exactly is a sloppy joe?

It's just a thick, slightly sweet, tangy meat sauce that you put between two buns and eat like a sandwich—a simple, easy,  that everyone loves!  

What is the sloppy joe sauce made of?

It's made with ketchup, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, chili powder, garlic, dry mustard, and a little Tobasco (if you want). That sauce coats the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to make the filling.

What's a good side dish with sloppy joes?

Serve with just a sack of kettle cooked potato chips, or make something cool, fresh, and crunchy like or . or would be terrific too!