Crabby Day Sloppy Joes

Sometimes I have a week that boasts three out of three nights wherein I only get a few hours' sleep due to thunder, kid accidents that require a change of sheets, or a girl who catches insomnia and doesn't actually fall asleep until almost 2am.

Sometimes I have a day that feels like every hour was made up of waiting for something that- in the end- never even happened... and then I go to bed knowing that the next day will be pretty much the same thing.

Sometimes I could swear that my kids never open their mouths unless it's to yell, argue, or complain.

Don't let the smiles fool you, they were fighting over who got to push pretty much 5 minutes later

Sometimes, at the end of a day that included all of the above, all that's left to do is send the kids outside to play, open up a beer, and make Crabby Day Sloppy Joes.

Crabby Day Sloppy Joes

Makes enough for about 6 very sloppy sandwiches

1 lb lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

shot of beer

1/2 cup water

3 TBS tomato paste

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 TBS molassas

1 TBS coarse mustard

1-2 squirts liquid smoke

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

a few grinds fresh black pepper

(warm or toasted hamburger buns, too)

In a large pan, brown ground beef and diced onions. Deglaze with a shot of beer (or red wine, or water), then add tomato paste, Worcestershire, molasses, mustard, liquid smoke, garlic powder, S&P. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved (adding up to 1/2 cup of water to make a sauce that's a little on the thin side), cover, and simmer on low for ~20 mins or until sauce has thickened. 

Heap on buns and serve with good chips or fresh potato salad and pickles.

Enjoy!