Wholesome Wednesday (Sloppy Joes)

Wholesome Wednesday kind of snuck up on me this week.  Busy with the kids in school and company coming on Friday, I was trying to decide what to post. I have a great Brussels sprout recipe, but I think with the weather getting cooler, a nice hot sandwich is good for today. 

Growing up my mom made sloppy joes quite often. It was a meal she could stretch and was also satisfying. My mom always made them from scratch, we never even new what Manwich was. In fact, I never had Manwich until I was an adult. While there is nothing wrong with that, homemade sloppy joes are just as easy and quick. What I love about making them myself, is I can control the quality of ingredients, and sodium level. I use ground sirloin which is 90% fat free and a lot of spices. Also serve the sandwich on a whole grain bun with steamed green beans as a side dish and you have a wholesome, satisfying dinner.

recipe

2 lbs ground beef (look for 90% fat free)
1 small onion, diced
1 large can of tomato sauce (26 oz can)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 c water
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp chili powder
salt & pepper to taste

Brown beef in a large skillet with onion. Drain off any fat and discard.  Add remaining ingredients, stir, and simmer on low for about an hour.  Enjoy!

Natural Spider Spray

Hello Friday....so glad you are here.  It has been a mentally exhausting week of back to school.  No major dramatics to report, which is good news.  So in thinking what I would post today, I wanted it to be simple for my tired brain. 

In the fall, the weather turns damp and chilly, and spiders love to come inside and make your home their new home for the winter. While I believe spiders are helpful outside eating insects, I do not want them taking residence in my house.  Before I had kids, I would go buy a pesticide from the store and spray the whole house....no more spiders. After having children, my mind began to think differently. I wanted to oust the spiders but not harm my kids. So I searched for all natural sprays, and I wasn't happy with what I found. Then one day I saw a tip on T.V. boasting all natural tips for the home.  My ears perked up and sure enough there was a tip on how to rid your home of spiders.  It simply is water and white vinegar.

The spiders don't like the "taste" of vinegar. So you mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 12 ounces of water and shake.  Put it in a spray bottle and begin to spray every corner in your house, top and bottom.  For the past six months, this is Adam's job. He loves it! He says he feels like he is protecting us. I don't mind him doing it because there is nothing to harm him.  The only downside is, your house will smell like a salad for a day or so. I try and do it on a day that I can keep the windows open, and we do it about once a month during the spring and fall.

Give it a try, and keep the pesky little critters outside!  Happy Friday everyone :o)