Not your lunch lady’s Sloppy Joes

November 23, 2011 by · 17 Comments

Sloppy Joes are hard to photograph……

What do Sloppy Joes remind you of?

But these are definitely not your lunch lady’s Sloppy Joes…..

This might seem like a strange post for the night before Thanksgiving, but trust me it’s not.

Whenever our family would come home over the holidays my mom would always make lots and lots of good food beyond just the traditional holiday fare. I’m sure she did this week, but my family isn’t there. When we would walk in the door there would usually be something simmering on the stovetop that we could eat.

Sloppy Joes and BBQ Hamburgers(recipe coming soon) were two dishes that my mom would always make a big batch of. There would also be several containers of Bison chip dip and possibly some of her dill potato salad with black olives.  Mmmmm…now that is what I call comfort food.  I am sure that these foods have been my choice for my birthday dinner once or twice. Jim always tells me I’m a cheap date:-)

This is my mom’s recipe and they are my favorite.  I’m not sure where this recipe came from and it’s not necessarily the recipe that she has always used, but  they are the recipe I make these days and they are soo good.  They have some sweet spice to them which is really unique. The allspice gives them a really different almost addicting flavor. If you don’t have allspice you can substitute half cinnamon and half ground cloves.

These are so easy to whip up, too. I’m not sure what is in the canned version of the Sloppy Joe, but I can’t imagine any reason not to make them from scratch.  I used lean ground beef and you could also use ground turkey if you wanted to.  Although, I have to be honest, I like to stick to the ground beef.

So when you are tired of the turkey and stuffing, have some Sloppy Joes ready for lunch or dinner on Saturday. The whole family will be happy you did!  Jim and the girls love these and I actually wished that I had made a full batch(I only made half) because I only ended up eating one sandwich (which was very sad.)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Remember what you have to be thankful for and enjoy the long weekend!

Family Pleasing Sloppy Joes
 
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Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground mustard
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 8 sandwich buns

Instructions
  1. Cook beef and onion. Drain well.
  2. Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard, chili powder & allspice.
  3. Bring to boil.
  4. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes.

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Mustard Roasted Fish – TGIF!

November 4, 2011 by · 2 Comments

Does Friday make you think about fish? If you are Catholic or someone who grew up in the northeast I bet that it does. I have talked about this before, but in Upstate NY a very popular thing to do on Friday night is a Fish Fry. I remember fondly going down to the American Legion in my little town and having a fish fry almost every Friday night. We would see people that we knew and very often we would meet my extended family down there. They had a juke box that we would play songs on and we would draw on the backs of the placemats. We did this all year long although I am sure that the fish fry tradition started on Fridays because of Lent (there are lot’s of Catholics in Western New York.)

This is kind of coincidental that I am posting two Ina recipes in a row, but I just love and rely on her recipes. This fish was also amazing and so full of flavor. The mustard flavor is very light and the capers add some zing to the dish. The recipe is so easy and I love that it bakes altogether and all you need to do is mix up the sauce and pour it over the fish.

It was a great meal and definitely something that will be added to the rotation. Sole happened to be on sale at Fresh Market so that is what we used. They also had Sea Bass there but I think it was about 29 dollars a pound so we didn’t even think about going there – although I am sure it would be good.

One thing that I have noticed with Ina (and it’s a great lesson in general) is that she ALWAYS slightly under cooks her meats/fish and then lets it rest tented in foil to finish cooking. I was surprised that she does that with this fish. This assures that when you serve the meal it will be perfectly cooked and it allows the juices to be reabsorbed and redistribute into and meat.

To lighten this up you can use greek yogurt instead of the creme and you could even really either half the sauce or put less on an individual portion. My other suggestion is to do what we did and just serve the fish like it is, but pair it with other light options like the spinach and baked potato with some Smart Balance or greek yogurt.

So, if you are looking for a new fish recipe I highly recommend giving this a try. Again, Ina does NOT disappoint!

Enjoy and happy Friday everyone!

Mustard Roasted Fish
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces creme fraiche (you could use greek yogurt if you don’t have this.)
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 2 teaspoons drained capers

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. In an oven proof baking dish lay the fish skin side down.
  3. Combine all the remaining ingredients except the capers in a bowl and mix until combined. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes depending on how thick your fish is. It will be nice and flaky when it is done. Ina says to make sure you don’t overcook your fish (and I echo her statements)
  4. Server with the sauce spooned over top

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Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin

November 3, 2011 by · 8 Comments

This is my third pork tenderloin recipe on this site and I love that each one is so different and so delicious in its own right. My all-time favorite has always been my Pork Tenderloin in Mushroom Gravy and we also really liked the Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, however I have to say, this is my new favorite. I might even be able to say that it is my favorite meat recipe that I have. Seriously, it is that good. It’s an Ina Garten recipe so maybe that will convince you to at least give it a try?

Both Jim and I agreed on how good this was, and we have even brought it up a few times since we had it on Sunday. I wish I had taken pictures of the pork when it was sliced and you could see just how juicy it was. I am usually a sauce person with my meat, but I didn’t even miss it with this pork. Ina did a good job with this one. The only thing at all that we did different was that we grilled it and Ina roasts it in the original recipe. This was a recipe that my mom picked out of an Ina cookbook one time when she was down here visiting and I swear that the recipe that she had said to grill. I am sure either way is great.

Definitely make sure that you give the pork plenty of time to marinate and make sure to use all fresh ingredients – please:-). I also threw in some fresh parsley (trying to use up all of my herbs before they kick the bucket from the frost.) The herbs cling to the pork when you take it out of the marinade and they add so much flavor to the finished dish. Finally, and I am sorry to say this, but it’s true…don’t be stingy with the salt. It not only adds flavor to this dish, but it helps to make it incredibly juicy. Don’t forget you are adding salt for two pork tenderloins. It’s not like you are eating all of it. Plus, since this is a homemade dish there is no added sodium so you can afford to add a little salt (the nurse said my blood pressure was impressive at my last check-up so don’t give me a hard time about salt – ok??)

We served this with some organic yams that we got from Fresh Market and we decided that they were the best yams we have ever had (Sorry sweet potatoes:-() For our veggie we had some Trader Joe’s frozen corn which was also completely awesome. I can’t get enough of TJ’s frozen veggies – they taste just like fresh, I swear. It was actually somewhat humorous, the girls had a neighbor friend over for dinner that night and Jim and I kept saying how good everything was and I think she thought we were a bit crazy.

So anyways, I can’t sell this dish enough. If you don’t trust me, you should at least trust Ina enough to convince you to try it.

Enjoy!

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 1 lemon, zest grated
  • Juice from 3-4 lemons,
  • Good olive oil (I probably used about 4 tablespoons. Use more if it seems too lemony
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
  • 1½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 pork tenderloins (I only used 2)

Instructions
  1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Combine well and add the pork. Marinade for several house and preferrably overnight.
  2. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and let it drip back into the bag, but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper.
  3. We grilled ours over medium on our grill to a temperature of 137 turning several times and basting with the marinade. Once you take it off the grill let it sit covered in foil for about 5-10 minutes.
  4. Slice the pork in ½ inch slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Ina says that the thickest part may be pink and that is fine, but the smaller ends will be well done. Spoon the juices that collect over the slices of pork.
  5. For the original recipe and Ina’s instructions for roasting in the oven, click here.

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Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

November 2, 2011 by · 5 Comments

This was a creation that Jim and I came up with and it was awesome! I know that this pizza has been done before, but this is our version and it had so much flavor, we loved it. We also decided that we would try to a different pizza every Saturday. I’m also a big fan of BBQ and Buffalo Chicken pizzas and it will be fun to come up with some different creations.

Our grocery store, Harris Teeter, sells thinly shaved top round in the fresh meat section and it’s really good. I think the better quality beef you use, the better this pizza will turn out. The real cheesesteaks traditionally use either thinly shaved rib-eye or top round and the provolone slices are melted over so I think this pizza is pretty authentic. Some versions of the Philly Cheese Steak also use Cheez Whiz and spread it over top of the chopped meat. I can’t say that it didn’t cross my mind on this pizza, but I thought it was better to stick with the provolone:-) I try to avoid processed cheese when I can – even if it tastes really good.

So if you are looking for a different kind of pizza to make, definitely try this one. Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 prebaked pizza crust
  • ½ lb cooked shaved beef.
  • 1 orange, red or yellow pepper diced
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • ½ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
  • 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • ½ tsp Seasoned Salt
  • ½ cup of fry sauce (1/2 ketchup and ½ mayo) (We actually substituted some of the ketchup for A-1 Sauce)
  • 8 oz sliced provolone cheese
  • Optional toppings include pickled jalapeño slices, mushrooms

Instructions
  1. Cook the peppers and onions in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add the cooked beef, Worcestershire and season salt. Cook for about 3-4 more minutes.
  2. Spread the fry sauce on the crust and then top with the meat/veggie mixture.
  3. Top with the slices of provolone cheese. You may want more cheese on your pizza and if so add up to 8oz more cheese or your choice.
  4. Bake in an oven preheated to 475 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and to your liking.
  5. Top with Jalapeno slices.

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Balsamic Grilled Chicken over Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Pasta

October 15, 2011 by · 11 Comments

I like to think of this type of dish as a layered dish. One layer is your starch, another layer is your vegetable and then the third layer is your protein. This is a complete meal and when we layer all three types of food (our protein, carb and veggie) you get so much flavor and end up feeling full and very satisfied when the meal is over.

To get the most health benefits you will want to pack a layered dish with as many healthy foods as possible. A good example of this would be chicken breast (a lean protein) veggies roasted in a little olive oil and some seasonings and something like brown rice or whole grain pasta. There are some great whole wheat pasta options out there and if you are a bit averse to the whole wheat you could always try Barilla’s Plus Pasta. My girls don’t like whole wheat pasta, but they don’t notice a difference with the Barilla Plus.

Another layered meal option might be brown rice, sautéed peppers and onions with some salsa and jalapeno and then some black beans or grilled chicken (or both). Top that off with a bit of cheddar cheese and cilantro and you have another great “layered” meal option.

This particular meal is one of my absolute favorites and I love all the flavors in here so much. I roast one red pepper, an onion and a bag of frozen broccoli from Trader Joe’s in some olive oil and their Everyday Seasoning (any seasoning blend will work here.) I also pound out some chicken and  marinate it in some  balsamic vinegar with olive oil, salt and garlic. I cook up 16 oz of whole wheat pasta and then toss that with some olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic and salt. If you like a little heat you can add some red pepper flakes. Layer everything and then grate some Parmesan over top. This is so good, I can’t even tell you….you just have to try it!

My tip for grilling chicken is this. Trim the chicken as much as you can and then toss it into a Ziploc bag with your marinade. Take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you are going to grill it and pound it out with the flat side of a meat mallet right in the bag.  You might have to move the chicken around a bit as you are pounding your chicken out and make sure there are no air pockets when you do this. Then let it sit to come to room temperature. Take it right out of the bag with some tongs and put it on the grill. Make sure to let as much of the marinade drip off your chicken as possible before you place it on the grill. I also like to massage the marinade into the chicken as much as possible after you pound it out. Also, I usually put a decent amount of salt in my marinade. I really think doing all of this makes my chicken exceptionally moist and pounding it out makes it cook nice and evenly. I will never place another piece of chicken on the grill again without pounding it out and this method (with the Ziploc bag) makes the process really easy.

So here is the recipe. I have to say, this is one where you can really change things up and you almost can’t go wrong. The one thing you do still have to be careful of is portion size. I find that if I go easy on the starch and heavy on the veggies I still get at least one or two pieces of pasta in every bite.  Enjoy!

Balsamic Grilled Chicken over Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Pasta
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 16 oz whole wheat pasta (I like to use rotini or penne)
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp lemon zest
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • 1 red pepper cut into strips
  • 1 medium onion cut into strips about the same size as your pepper
  • 1 lb frozen broccoli florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning (any seasoning blend will work here.)

Instructions
  1. Trim chicken of all fat and place in a ziploc bag with next 5 ingredients. Mix everything in the bag and make sure that the marinade is evenly distributed to coat the chicken. Let this marinade in the fridge for about 2-3 hours ideally. About 30 minutes before you are ready to grill, take the chicken out of the fridge and pound out right in the ziploc bag to about ½ inch thickness (make sure there are no air pockets in the bag when you are doing this and use the flat side of the mallet.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set grill to medium high temperature.
  3. Place veggies on a large baking sheet and toss in olive oil, everyday seasoning and salt. Toss this mixture until everything is thoroughly coated. If you feel like your veggies need more oil, add, but be careful not to add too much (just enough to coat evenly.)
  4. Roast vegetables for about 20-25 minutes stirring every ten minutes.
  5. Grill chicken until thoroughly cooked and then slice lengthwise.
  6. Cook pasta according to directions and when done, toss with the remaining olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper.
  7. Layer the pasta, roasted vegetables and then sliced chicken. Grate parm over top and enjoy!

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