Easy Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

I have loved sloppy joes ever since I was a kid.  And yes I always had Mamwich because well it is THE sloppy joe mix.  However, as with most canned food there are more ingredients than really need to be in there.  So I decided to try out homemade sloppy joes and was pleasantly surprised at how easy and delicious they were.  I will not go back to canned anymore.  And I love crock pot meals, so this was a win-win.  This recipe made enough for about 12 nicely filled sandwiches, but could be stretched out more if needed.  Another bonus was I had everything I needed in my house already except for a pepper and the ground beef.  And the ingredient amounts I list are just what I started with.  I did adjust some of the seasonings as it cooked. I like ketchup so I did end up adding more as it cooked down.  Some other recipe variations I found included BBQ Sauce and even some oatmeal as a thickener.  However, I feel this recipe is the basic sloppy joe recipe with the classic taste we all know.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

2 Pounds, Ground Beef

1 1/2 Cups, Ketchup

1 Cup, Mustard (I used spicy brown mustard because it's what was in the fridge)

1/4 Cup, Brown Sugar

1 Each, Onion

1 Each, Green Pepper

Garlic (I used granulated, but you can use garlic powder or fresh as well)

Salt and Pepper

Water/Stock, as needed

1. Brown ground beef on stove top.  Season with salt and pepper. Drain excess fat off.

2. Place beef into crock pot.  Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic.

3. Add ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar.

4.  Simmer on low heat for 5-6 hours, stirring and checking seasoning occasionally.  Add water or stock as needed if it becomes too thick, this will also help to create a nice "sloppy" sauce.  

Serve with any roll or bread of your choice.  And that's it! SUPER easy meal you can throw together in a pinch. Enjoy!

Cinnamon & Honey: The Natural Healers

I have seen and heard many things about cinnamon and honey so I decided to do a little research of my own.  I came across tons of information from many sites and books.  So as a overall clause I will say that none of this is specifically from one site and I take no credit for the actual information, but instead just that I am reporting it here for my readers to enjoy!

Medicine and health remedies can be pricey.  Sad but true that something that can help soothe or cure us from pain and discomfort is not exactly always affordable.  Now don't get me wrong I use medicine and believe in it when necessary and believe it can help.  However I am all about saving money and doing what I can in more natural manner.  These two natural substances have a pretty interesting list of benefits, many of which I cannot wait to try.

In Ancient Civilizations, such as the Chinese and Indian, cinnamon is viewed as a "hot" substance which can help to "dissolve" the cold or other "bugs" in the body.  And honey was viewed as a neutral substance to help balance out the body.  There has been an abundant amount of scientific research done on these two substances.  While there are skeptics, as with everything, there are also a large group of believers.  "Weekly World News", a Canadian magazine, even reported that despite honey's sweetness, in small controlled amounts it will not adversely affect diabetic patients.  As with all of these benefits listed below, a healthy and active diet is necessary as well to keep a healthy lifestyle.  So while it can help to reduce the bodies absorption of fat, that does not mean eat a big mac and fries every day! And finally when "consumed regularly" is listed, it can be done by taking a spoonful of honey sprinkled with cinnamon, spreading honey and cinnamon on bread, or making a "tea" using hot water, a spoonful or two of honey, and sprinkled cinnamon on top.

Benefits:

- Honey has natural anti-bacterial properties.  Spread it on wounds and burns to prevent infection.

- When consumed regularly, honey and cinnamon can help to clear clogged arteries and prevent heart disease.

- A tea of honey and cinnamon can help to destroy the bacteria causing a bladder infection as it passes through the bladder and urethra.  It can also help ease arthritis pain over time and help to lower cholesterol.

- A tablespoon of warmed honey mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon helps to cure coughing and other cold/sinus symptoms.  This yummy little spoonful can also help cure stomach aches and kill ulcers at their roots, reduce intestinal gas, and other indigestion.

- Honey is a natural occurring sugar/carb so can act as a natural healthy energy boost.  Many studies have shown that prolonged consumption of honey has raised energy levels in all ages of people without any negative side effects.  Remember this is a few tablespoons a day, not globs over everything you eat and is also in conjunction with a healthy diet.

- Making a 3:1 paste of honey and cinnamon will help to heal acne.  Apply the paste to your face at night and wash off in the morning.  It can also be used as a spot treatment and covered with a band aid over night.

- Raw natural honey is rich with vitamins and falvonoids which increase antioxidant activity.  This has been useful in helping to shorten the length of some illnesses, cure them, and help to add longevity to life.

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I encourage you to research this more for yourself and see just how great these benefits are. I know that I personally plan to start adding more honey and cinnamon to my diet and will be trying them out next time I get a cold.  Please take this as just information and consult with your doctor first if you have any concerns.  This is just "food for thought" and another way to help you pinch your pennies!

Easy 2 Ingredient Cake

This is a SUPER easy cake that only takes two ingredients, ice cream and flour!  Yes that is right, ice cream.  And because ice cream comes in so many flavors the possibilities are endless.  The consistency is more like a thick pancake but still its a super simple alternative to regular.  I served it with more of the ice cream I used to make it.  I choose cookies and creme flavor for my first try and it was delicious.  I imagine some hot fudge, caramel, or fruit syrups would have made this even better.

First you need 1 1/2 Cups of Self Rising Flour.  It needs to be the self rising flour so that it will have some cake like texture, otherwise you will just get a very dense brick.  Second you need 2 cups of softened ice cream.  I let mine sit for about 20 minutes so it would be easy to mix with the flour.  You need some type of pot that has a lid.  I used the amazing Pampered Chef Round Covered Baker.  It is part of their stoneware line, which I am a huge fan of all the whole collection.

Mix the ice cream and flour together. You will end up with a thick batter that almost looks like muffin batter.  Grease the pan as this cake will stick otherwise.

Bake for 30 minutes with cover on and 10 minutes with it off.  Now you may be able to experiment with other pans and no cover with less time.  Just remember this is a denser cake than a typical birthday cake.  But as I said I can totally imagine it covered with some chocolate syrup or ganache and sliced up with a side of ice cream.  It is a perfect size for 4-6 slices.  Enjoy and comment below with flavor combination ideas!