low-cal feeds a crowd

all-american sloppy joes

►make ahead up to 12 hours

Prep: 40 minutes Chill: up to 12 hours Cook: 6 to 8 hours (low) or 3 to 4 hours (high) Makes: 16 servings

• 3 pounds lean ground beef or ground pork
• 2 cups chopped onions (2 large)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2½ cups chopped red sweet peppers
• 2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 1 12-ounce can beer
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
•   Dash bottled hot pepper sauce
• 16 whole grain hamburger buns or kaiser rolls, split and toasted
•   Dill pickle slices and/or pickled jalapeño pepper slices (optional)

1. Place a disposable slow cooker liner in a 3½- or 4-quart ceramic slow cooker liner; set aside. In an extra-large skillet cook ground beef, onions, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onions are tender. Drain off fat. Cool meat slightly.

2. Place cooked meat mixture in disposable liner. Add sweet peppers, celery, beer, ketchup, molasses, mustard, chili powder, vinegar, and hot pepper sauce. Using a twist tie, close the disposable liner. Place the ceramic liner in the refrigerator overnight. (To serve today, cover and cook as directed in Step 3.)

3. Place ceramic liner in the slow cooker. Remove the twist tie from the disposable liner. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.

4. Using a slotted spoon, spoon meat onto bottom halves of buns. If desired, top with dill pickle and/or pickled jalapeño slices and bun tops.

Per serving: 399 cal., 16 g fat (5 g sat. fat), 58 mg chol., 575 mg sodium, 41 g carb., 3 g fiber, 23 g pro.

This big-yield recipe is make-ahead in more ways than one. It cooks in the slow cooker well ahead of serving time—plus, leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for another meal (or two).