Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe

As a busy mom of three kids and owning a full time business, I am always on the hunt for delicious and quick dinner ideas I can bring to my family!  I’m all about classic dinners that are semi-homemade and made with simple ingredients I have in my pantry.  This homemade sloppy joe recipe is delicious and I promise the extra minutes it takes to mix the ingredients together instead of opening a package of seasonings is well worth it and better for you too!

This homemade sloppy joe is filled with spices and a not so common ingredient- grape jelly.  It adds the perfect touch of sweetness to the meat mixture.  Let the meat and spice mixture simmer on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes so the flavors all get a chance to blend together.  You can then serve the meat mixture on your favorite hamburger buns. These sloppy joes are perfect for a quick dinner idea or even a main dish for a picnic with your friends and family.  I like to make these on the stovetop and then place the meat mixture in a slow cooker set on warm or low for parties. 

HOW TO PREPARE HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES AHEAD OF TIME:

• Brown meat in a skillet.
• Add browned meat to a skillet and add to a slow cooker and add remaining ingredients.
• Cook in the slow cooker for 2-3 hours on low.
• Once your party starts set your slow cooker on warm. Keep an eye on your meat mixture so it doesn’t dry out. 
• If you would like to freeze your sloppy joe mixture follow the above steps.  Allow to cool before placing in freezer bags.  For best quality use between 3-6 months.   Allow to thaw in fridge and reheat on stove.  Add a small amount of water if needed.

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Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe

Homemade Sloppy Joes are made with ground beef, spices, and some sweet ingredients like grape jelly that makes for one delicious and simple dinner idea!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup condensed tomato soup
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3 TBSP grape jelly
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 TBSP prepared mustard I use yellow
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp celery seed optional
• 6-8 hamburger buns

Instructions

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir in the soup, ketchup, jelly, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt and celery seed. Bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve on buns. 

Notes

The amount of servings will determine how much meat you like to put on your hamburger buns. 

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The easiest way to prep a meal for the whole family is to pop something in the oven that requires minimal prep. This Baked BBQ Pineapple Chicken is a crowd pleaser and extremely easy to make. The taste of the pineapple juice in the chicken is a summer hit and is great to bring to any summer BBQ! Check out how easy it is to make by reading below.

Can I Make BBQ Chicken in the Crock Pot

You can absolutely make this dish in the crockpot. Instead of setting a timer for 30 minutes, put your ingredients in the crockpot on low for 6 to 8 hours or medium-high heat for 4 hours. The pineapple slices will add tons of flavor to everything in the pot and dinner will be ready super easy after work. Letting the chicken cook all day will make it super flavorful.

How Long Does it Take Chicken on a BBQ Grill?

If you wish you make this meal on a hot grill, just add your toppings while grilling or let the chicken marinate in the juices for a while before placing the chicken on the grill. Grill your chicken breasts over direct heat for about 20 minutes. Be sure to flip them halfway through and check the internal temperature before serving to make sure it is cooked completely.

Make This Recipe in Foil Packets

Try making this recipe in foil packets! Small portion-sized baked chicken foil packets are a great way to customize your family’s plates. Let everyone add their favorite veggies to the chicken, barbecue sauce, and pineapple. Place everything in the oven and serve directly onto their plates.

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Baked BBQ Pineapple Chicken

A baked BBQ pineapple chicken recipe that is perfect for summer BBQs and family events all year long. Easy to make and tastes delicious!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Baked BBQ Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups cubed pineapple
• 1 cup BBQ Sauce I used honey bbq
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place chicken breasts in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan.
• Top with Barbecue Sauce
• Top with Fresh cubed pineapple chunks.
• Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper
• Bake at 400 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.

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Delicious Garlic Honey Shrimp

I love a good marinade. It’s an effortless way to give any meat tons of flavor. All it takes is a little planning ahead, since the marinade needs to sit for a couple of hours to have the full effect. Other than that, it’s just a matter of mixing up the marinade and cooking! How easy is that?

Speaking of marinades, my all-time favorite has to be the one used in my Honey Lime Grilled Chicken recipe. It delivers the perfect balance of savory, zesty, garlicky, and sweet. Plus, it makes the chicken so juicy! I love that grilled chicken recipe so much that I wanted to see if I could use the same marinade in other dishes. And friends, I found a new winner!

This easy garlic honey shrimp features the marinade from my honey lime grilled chicken recipe, and it works so well with the fresh shrimp flavor. It is so simple to make, but it tastes like you put a lot of effort into it. Garlic honey shrimp is a great dish to enjoy on a warm summer night with family and friends. Kids love it, too!

This garlic honey marinade requires several ingredients, but most of them are pantry staples that you likely already have at home! Here is what you will need:

How to make Garlic Honey Shrimp

1. Place your peeled and deveined shrimp in a gallon-sized bag. You can also use a baking dish. It’s best to marinate the shrimp in a container with a flat bottom, which allows the marinade to work its magic on each and every shrimp.
2. Mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade. This will be brushed onto the shrimp as they cook!
3. Pour the remaining marinade all over your shrimp. Mix everything together so that the shrimp are evenly coated.
4. Marinate the shrimp for 1-2 hours
5. Once they’ve finished marinating, discard the marinade and cook your shrimp in a skillet or place them on a skewer and pop them on the grill. Shrimp don’t need long to cook, so watch them carefully! They only need about 2-3 minutes on each side. When they are halfway done, brush the reserved marinade on your shrimp.

How long do I have to marinate the shrimp for?

This recipe calls for 1-2 hours of marinating. I highly recommend letting the shrimp marinate for the full two hours, since that will give you the most flavorful result. However, you could let the shrimp marinate for as little as 30 minutes. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will still be delicious! This is great for evenings where I’m in a rush, as I know I can still produce a great dish with less time to spare.

Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?

I prefer using fresh shrimp when making this recipe, but you could definitely go with frozen. Just be sure to defrost your shrimp prior to marinating them. You can thaw frozen shrimp by placing them in the refrigerator overnight. For a quicker method, place your frozen shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them. Make sure it’s cold! This method only takes a few minutes, so it’s great for last minute prep.

What can you serve with garlic honey shrimp?

I’m all about the side dishes, and this garlic honey shrimp recipe is the perfect main course to accompany with plenty of extras. You could serve this garlic honey shrimp with a side of white, brown, or coconut rice. This dish would also pair nicely with vegetables or side salad! Here are a few of my favorite summer recipes to serve garlic honey shrimp with:

• Oven Roasted Zucchini and Squash
• Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
• Easy Oriental Chicken Salad
• BLT Pasta Salad

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Easy Garlic Honey Shrimp

This garlic honey shrimp is so delicious and easy to whip up. Garlic, honey, and fresh lime juice are the stars in this flavorful marinade. The ideal dish for a summer cookout!

Course Main Course

Keyword Easy Garlic Honey Shrimp

Ingredients

• 2 lbs raw shrimp, medium or large peeled & deveined
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 TBSP light brown sugar
• 2 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 TBSP fresh parsley, finely chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place shrimp in a gallon size bag, or baking dish.
• Mix together marinade ingredients. Reserve 2 tbsp.
• Pour remaining marinade over chicken.
• Marinade for 2 hours.
• Discard marinade and thread shrimp onto skewers.
• Grill shrimp on medium to high heat until pink and cooked through. Roughly 2-3 minutes per side. You can also pan fry these in a touch of butter.

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EGG SALAD SANDWICH

Along with our homemade chicken salad sandwich this egg salad recipe is also an easy and fast lunch you can put together quickly and enjoy a few times during the week.  Egg Salad is about as classic of a sandwich as you can get but there are a few ways you can jazz up this classic with some simple add-ins.

VARIATIONS:

• Add a dash of pickle juice, diced pickles or relish
• Celery, diced
• Avocado
• Bacon
• Olives
• Tomatoes

How do I prepare my hard boiled eggs?

I prefer to use my instant pot to make my hard boiled eggs and I follow the 5-5-5 Method. 

To Make In the Instant Pot:

Place your egg trivet in your instant pot insert with 1 cup of water.  Add eggs to trivet and place lid on top.  Set to 5 minutes on manual pressure. Once the instant pot beeps allow it to natural pressure release for 5 minutes. Release remaining pressure and place eggs in an ice water bath for 5 minutes before peeling. Easy Peasy!

To Make On The Stovetop:

Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover eggs with water and fill until it covers the eggs about 1 inch.  Cover with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat; once boiling, set the timer for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat. Remove from water and place in an ice water bath for 5 minutes before peeling. 

Ingredients Needed:

• Hard boiled eggs, peeled
• Mayonnaise, to taste
• Yellow mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

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Egg Salad Sandwich

This Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe is an easy, delicious and easy to customize sandwich the family will enjoy!

Course Main Course

Keyword egg salad sandwich

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 6 large hard boiled eggs
• 3-4 TBSP mayonnaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Mash the eggs in a medium size bowl.
• Add mustard, mayonnaise, salt and & pepper and mix well.
• Assemble sandwiches with a slice of tomato and lettuce if desired.

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SHEET PAN SAUSAGE & VEGGIES

Need a quick fix dinner idea? This sheet pan sausage and veggies dinner could not be simpler! Prepare everything on your foil covered baking sheet and pop in the oven for just about 30 minutes and dinner is served!  To make this a heartier meal we like to serve our sausage and veggies over some of our favorite basmati or jasmine rice.

DELICIOUS FOOD. FAVORITE VEGGIES

Not a fan of green beans? Swap them for your favorite veggies? Want to keep an eye on your carbs? Save the potatoes for another day. The best part about this quick fix dinner is it can be totally customized to your families favorite veggies.  I often make this when I have an assortment of veggies in the fridge that need to be used.   Some of our favorite vegetables to use for this recipe are:

• zucchini
• squash
• green beans
• potatoes
• red peppers
• broccoli

HOW TO MAKE SHEET PAN DINNER:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
3. Prep the veggies: chop the red potatoes (small pieces-so they will be tender in time), trim the green beans and halve if long, chop the broccoli, chop the peppers into thick squares, and coin the sausage in thick slices.
4. Place all the veggies and sausage on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil and all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies and meat. (I use a 15×21 inch sheet pan)
5. Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip/stir all the veggies around. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and sausage is browned.
6. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the veggies and sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.

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Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

This Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies dinner can be made in just under 30 minutes.  Turkey sausage, veggies, and potatoes get roasted to tender perfection and make for a delicious weeknight meal!

Course Main Course

Keyword Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 small zucchini cut into coin shapes and in half again
• 1 cup green beans trimmed
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets cut into bite sized pieces
• 12 ounces turkey sausage cut into coin shapes
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups baby red potatoes diced
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 TBSP dried oregano
• salt & pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
• Prep the veggies: chop the red potatoes (small pieces here so they will be tender in time), trim the green beans and halve if long, chop the broccoli, chop the peppers into thick squares, and coin the sausage in thick slices.
• Place all the veggies and sausage on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil and all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies and meat. (I use this 15×21 inch sheet pan)
• Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip/stir all the veggies around. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and sausage is browned.
• Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the veggies and sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.

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Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

One of my favorite ways to add a healthy high protein into my families diet is with turkey, it’s readily available, in expensive, and very versatile in all types of savory dishes.  One of my favorite quick-fix turkey meals is our Orange and Thyme Turkey Cutlets.  These taco lettuce wraps are just as quick and tastes equally delicious.  They are a fun low carb twist for Taco Tuesday!    

You only need a few pantry staples for this delicious meal. In order to add some extra veggies and flavors to our dish we added some veggies right to the turkey base and let it all simmer together for a few minutes. 

Once the meat mixture is combined and has had the chance to simmer for a few minutes, I broke away two romaine lettuce leafs per “wrap” to help hold the mixture.  I simply placed some of my taco meat mixture in the lettuce leaf and topped it with some of our favorite taco toppings.  We like to add a bit more salsa and sour cream but feel free to add your families favorite toppings. 

Other yummy toppings for Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

• avocado
• diced roma tomatoes
• sour cream
• cheddar cheese
• green onion
• ranch dressing

For other delicious healthy recipes try these:

Easy Oriental Chicken Salad

Honey Lime Turkey Breast Strips

Turkey Sausage Foil Packet Meal

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Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

These Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps are a delicious and low carb meal you can enjoy all year round! Top with your favorite taco toppings and it's a perfect family friendly meal. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

Servings 8 wraps

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup diced tomatoes I used fresh tomatoes but a can will work as well
• 1 packet Taco Seasoning
• 1 cup frozen corn
• Romaine Lettuce
• Water if needed

Instructions

• Begin by browning your turkey meat.
• Add salsa to browned turkey meat and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes.
• Add Taco seasoning and stir until completely incorporated. You may need to add a bit of water.
• Lastly add your frozen corn, until heated through.
• Wash and dry 2 romaine lettuce leafs per serving. Stack the lettuce leaf on top of each other.
• Top with turkey taco meat.
• Add your favorite toppings and serving immediately.

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