Day 5: Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Tonight was a pick from one of my childhood favorites. My mom makes a mean sloppy joe and thankfully it is easy enough to recreate without fail. Although, every time I admit to my mother that I used some kind of meat other than 80/20, I do get a short lecture. Sorry mom, tonight I used 85/15.

This has also become my mom's most requested dish. She has made it for 4 moving days, Austin's first birthday, and various other events where people all ask that she bring "her" sloppy joe. For Austin's birthday she made 12 pounds; it was obscene. But all 75 guests at the party raved about it.

Ever since I can remember, I've put a slice of American cheese on my sandwich. I think we've decided that my Uncle Jerry was the originator of this delicious addition. At Austin's party, people kept asking what the cheese was for; they thought it was weird. But I'm here to say...TRY IT!!! It will not disappoint.

At the last minute, I invited my grandma and her boyfriend, Leo, over for dinner. They have been trying to come visit for weeks so I called and invited them. They did not rate the meal, but they did make a few comments(see below).

Sloppy Joe Sandwiches(makes 5-6 sandwiches)

1 lb 80/20 meat
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup diced green pepper(fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup diced onion(fresh or frozen)
1 Tablespoon mustard
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon worsteshire
1Tablespoon sugar
Buns

Step 1: Brown meat, salt and pepper. Drain.

Step 2: In large pot, add all ingredients to meat

Step 3: Cover and cook on med-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Kitchen Play by Play: I specifically chose this recipe for tonight because Paul was not getting home until later, and I knew that this required very little time away from the kids. I always use frozen veggies so prep time is literally 5-6 minutes. Then 30 minutes later you have a delicious meal. You can certainly let your sloppy joe cook for longer at a lower temperature if you'd like it to meld longer but it is not necessary. I always only cook for 30 minutes and mine has never lacked flavor.

Too much going on tonight with the dinner guests, I forgot to take a picture and sent the leftovers home with them...sorry.

The Verdict:
Nicole- Pretty obvious since it's one of my childhood favorites...5. I skip the bun but not to avoid the carbs. I eat my sloppy joe in a bowl with a piece of cheese on top and scoop it up with Wavy Lays potato chips. Hello, Fabulous! Pickles on the side are a must as well.

Paul-gives it a 4. "Sloppy Joes are always tasty; I really like them."

Austin- gobbled it up. He takes it in a bowl like his mom with lots of cheese and pickles on the side. No chips. Just straight up off the spoon.

Grandma- Upon first bite, " mmmm...this is so yummy." Note: In the 30 minutes it was cooking, she commented about how good it smelled 5 times.

Leo-didn't say much about the dish itself, but he ate it all and was happy to take home leftovers.