"Better Than a Can" Homemade Sloppy Joes

I've had this recipe for many years and I used to make it on a regular basis when I was a newly-wed and made it often for the kids when they were itty bitty. It is a great recipe and one well worth making from scratch. Due to a crazy work and life schedule, I weened off of making it but I'm placing it back on my repertoire. I originally got this recipe from an old foodnetwork show called "Chef DuJour" where a different chef was featured daily. This particular day, Lauren Groveman was the chef who presented this recipe.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  cup  minced yellow onion, packed
• 1⁄2 cup  minced green bell pepper, packed and seeds removed
• 1⁄4 cup  minced red bell pepper, seeded removed
• 2  tablespoons  minced celery
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups  canned tomato puree
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1  cup ketchup
• 2  tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 2  teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  cup  chopped button mushroom (or portobello mushrooms)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped plum tomatoes (or canned plum tomatoes. if using fresh, use ripe, peeled and seeded)
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  beef bouillon (Better Than Bouillonn brand. I use Knorr, crumbled)
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 8 -10  hamburger buns

Directions

1. To start the sauce: Heat a 2 1/2-quart nonreactive saucepan over medium heat and, when hot, add the oil.
2. When the oil is hot, stir in the onion, green and red pepper, celery and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato puree, tomato paste, ketchup, vinegar, molasses and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to very low and simmer with the cover ajar for 1 hour.
4. To sauté the mushrooms: Heat an 8 - 10 inch skillet over high heat and, when hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. To finish the sauce: After the sauce has simmered 1 hour, add the sautéed mushrooms, chopped plum tomatoes, oregano, “Better Than Bouillon” seasoning and some freshly ground black pepper. Return to a simmer and cook with the cover ajar for 30 minutes more. (Refer to Note below).
6. To brown ground meat: Heat a 10-inch non-reactive deep-sided skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the ground meat and break it up with a wooden spatula. Cook the meat until separated and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Then remove from the stove and drain out any excess fat from skillet. Return skillet to the stove, over low heat. Stir in the sauce and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, uncovered. Cook gently until the flavors mingle and the mixture is piping hot throughout, about 10 minutes. Add some more freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.
7. To assemble Sloppy Joes and serve: While the sauce is simmering, open the hamburger buns and spread both opened sides lightly with butter. Lay the buns, buttered sides up, on a shallow baking sheet. Broil the buns until the buttered sides are nicely toasted. Spoon the ground beef mixture lavishly over buns and serve hot.
8. NOTE: If serving for 8 [could serve 10 for skimpier sandwiches], you will need 2 cups of sauce and 2 lbs of ground beef. If serving 4, you will need 1 cup of sauce and 1 lb. of ground beef. The remaining sauce can be frozen for later use and ease. Freeze cooled sauce in tightly sealed containers.