Who I am...

Just more rambling from yet another homeschooling mom. I hope that I can honestly share my struggles and triumphs in this journey. I would love to inspire and encourage others, because if I can do it - so can you!!

WHAT TO EXPECT . . .

schooling, cooking, baking, studying, working, photographing, eating, writing, playing, learning, praying, loving, imagining, creating, crying, hugging, laughing, giggling, mess-making, sleeping

Mmmm, yummy

Or, "Why I Will Never Ever Buy Canned Sloppy Joe Mix Ever, Ever Again."

I have always like sloppy joes. It was one of my comfort foods growing up, along with fondue, refrigerator biscuits, pigs in a blanket, macaroni and cheese with tuna, and artichokes. But a few months ago I had a hankering for sloppy joes with nary a package of mix or can of sauce in sight. I knew it had to be fairly easy to make from scratch, but wasn't sure where to start. Then I sat down to watch 30 minute meals with Rachel Ray. Lo and behold, she was making Sloppy Joe Dimmaggios! She added hot dogs to hers, which I knew my kids would never go for. And I was missing a few ingredients that she used. So I have now made it quite a few times since that first craving and tweaked the recipe more and more.

Here is my super duper yummy sloppy joe recipe:

2 lbs hamburger meat or ground chuck
Several sprinkles of dried onion
A generous sprinkling of mesquite steak rub
1 can organic tomato paste
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce, not w/ meat
4 Tbs worchestershire sauce
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
3 Tbs Ketchup
1 Tbs A1 sauce
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar

Enough water to create a sauce, usually about 1/2 cup

Brown the meat, either with a bit of olive oil or without, crumble it into the pan and let it sizzle to create a nice browned layer on the bottom, simulating grilling it on the barbeque (usually 6-7 minutes). Toss in the dried onions and the steak seasoning while the meat browns. Then flip it, break it up and let it cook through on the other side (another 4-5 minutes). Drain the fat if necessary. Pour in the tomato paste, sauce, sugar, etc. Stir to cover the meat, adding enough water to create a nice sauce, a little thinner than you think you want the final product to be. Then simmer for about 7 minutes.

Toast buns, put on plate, dump a heaping amount of sloppy joe mix on the buns. Eat yourself silly and swear off pre-packaged sloppy joe mix!

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