Dr. Pepper Sloppy Joes in the slow cooker

By Lisa Abraham

By Lisa Abraham

McClatchy-Tribune

When you are busy getting ready for the holidays and taking part in so many pre-holiday festivities, it’s always nice to have a recipe on hand like sloppy joes for an easy dinner.

It’s even easier when they can be made in the slow cooker, like this recipe from the new book “365 Slow Cooker Suppers” ($24.99, softcover, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) by Stephanie O’Dea, creator of the food blog www.crockpot365.blogspot.com.

The book offers recipes for a year’s worth of slow cooker suppers, including this one that gets a little sweetness from the addition of a cup of Dr. Pepper soda.

O’Dea also includes instructions on how to convert the recipe to gluten-free.

1 lb. extra-lean ground turkey

1 onion, grated

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour (or gluten-free rice flour)

½ cup ketchup

2 tbsp. yellow mustard

1 tsbp. Worcestershire sauce (or gluten-free)

1 cup Dr. Pepper soda

6 hamburger buns (or gluten-free buns)

Use a 4-quart slow cooker.

Put the turkey into the insert and add the onion, bell pepper, celery and flour. Stir in the ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce until all the ingredients are well mixed. Pour the Dr. Pepper over the top. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Stir well and serve in the hamburger buns.

Makes six servings.