1-In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to make the sauce; set aside.

2-Heat a few drops of olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant and light golden.

3-If using onions and bell peppers, sauté them first until softened, then remove from pot.

4-Add ground meat to the pot, increase heat to medium or medium-high, and cook until browned with no pink left, breaking apart the meat as it cooks; drain excess grease.

5-Return the sautéed onions and peppers to the pot, if using.

6-Pour the prepared sauce over the browned meat, stir well, and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. For richer flavor, simmer on low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, adding a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.

7-Serve warm on hamburger buns or rolls, optionally topped with sliced pickles.