Dear friends,
You probably think you make a great sloppy Joe. I know I did. For years I browned ground beef with onions, added a bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce, simmered it a few minutes, scooped it onto buns and called it dinner. That’s how my mom made sloppy Joes and I craved them.
Don’t wrinkle your nose. Chili sauce actually makes a tangy, delicious sloppy Joe — way better than sauce from cans, which tastes like tomato soup. But it is not the best sloppy Joe. That honor, after a weekend of testing recipes and eventually driving my husband to instant ramen, goes to Ultimate Sloppy Joes, a prize-winning recipe I cribbed from the Internet.
That wasn’t the way I thought the sloppy Joe cook-off would go. I figured Ultimate would come in third, with my chili sauce Joe vying for the blue ribbon with a copycat recipe of the Shake Shack sandwich. Shake Shack is a burger chain with a cult following. It originated as a cart in New York City. I thought it would be fun to say my humble sloppy Joe was better than theirs.
And in my opinion it is. I rated mine second and the Shake Shack’s mild, mayonnaise-y sloppy Joe third. But first went to the underdog Ultimate Sloppy Joes, with its well-balanced ground beef mixture spiked with ketchup, yellow mustard and a bit of brown sugar. It’s addictive. After two sandwiches Tony dumped about a cup of the mixture over rice and ate it that way.
The winning recipe is from the blog Dinner, then Dessert. The author, Sabrina Snyder, says her recipe has won three contests, including at her college where it bested 50 entries.
If you want to try the recipe for Shake Shack sloppy Joes, a clone that is all over the Internet, you can access it here: https://www.mastercook.com/app/recipe/WebRecipeDetails?recipeId=24529606. The sandwiches have two components: The straightforward loose-meat mixture, which includes Worcestershire sauce but no tomato products, and a mayonnaise-y sauce spiked with ketchup and mustard. Most of the sauce is stirred into the meat. The rest is spread on the buns and topped with the meat mixture, American cheese, lettuce and a slice of tomato. The sandwich is pretty good but I wouldn’t call it a sloppy Joe.
I won’t provide the recipe for my chili sauce sloppy Joes because I already did above and, frankly, there’s nothing more to add than a bun. Try it. It’s good.
ULTIMATE SLOPPY JOES
1 lb. ground beef
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Sliced American cheese
Place ground beef in a large skillet over high heat and cook until a deep brown crust appears before breaking apart. After stirring and breaking apart, continue cooking until at least half of beef has a dark-brown crust and is cooked through. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon and drain off the fat.
Add butter, onions and bell pepper to pan and cook over medium-high heat (Jane says add a sploosh of vegetable oil so the butter doesn’t burn) until edges of vegetables begin to brown. Return beef to pan. Stir in garlic, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Scoop onto buns and top with slices of American cheese. Makes about 6 servings.
From dinnerthendessert.com.
GUT CHECK
What I cooked last week:
Beef and shrimp fried rice; tofu and vegetable stir fry over barley; Japanese pork curry; three batches of sloppy Joes; crudités and dip.
What I ate in restaurants:
Tempura shrimp, a gyoza and part of a shrimp and avocado roll from Kintaro Sushi & Hot Pot in the Montrose area of Copley.
THE MAILBAG
My no-meat/low-meat Tidbits item last week drew some thoughtful responses. Here they are. If others would like to weigh in, I welcome your comments.
From Monica of Hudson:
Several months ago I watched a documentary, “Kiss the Ground.” It’s narrated by Woody Harrelson and addresses the need to preserve our soil. Boy, were my eyes opened. The movie’s website led me to find regenerative farms — that is, farms that are responsible and regenerate the land.
To search, go to https://kisstheground.com/. Click on “Take Action.” Go to bottom of page. You can watch a 1-minute video or click on “Find a Local Farm.” You can be as general or specific as you want. I just asked for all of Ohio. I looked at the map for northeast Ohio area and it led me to Harmon Creek Farms. https://www.harmoncreekfarms.com/.
I have not yet been to their store in Hartville but have been ordering from them online since the first of the year. They deliver to several communities in the greater Akron/Cleveland area. I order eggs and then try different items every month.
My husband and I don’t eat a LOT of meat but all of the meat I buy now is from them unless they don’t have it in stock. The quality is fantastic. You forget how flavorful meat can be until you cook some of theirs.
This is now my 2021 habit and I think it’s a good one.
From Judy R.:
I try to limit eating meat and still get protein by eating lentil pasta, chickpeas, lentil soup, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. I make the chickpeas in a Crockpot from dry peas and this provides a lot of chickpeas that I freeze and use in salads and hummus.
I have been stretching the meat (ground beef, turkey or both) in burgers by adding mushrooms and oatmeal to the meat. I sauté the mushrooms first, then chop them fine. I found Blenditarian recipes for adding mushrooms to burgers. Instead of cream in soups or sauces, I use condensed 2% milk. Works just as well and adds more protein. Jell-O and pudding are two desserts that have some protein, along with frozen yogurt.
Beans do take some getting used to at first but I do eat black bean burgers. Burntwood Tavern used to make the best ones I have ever tried, but at home, there are some that I have made and placed on parchment paper and baked. That way they retain their shape and are tasty.
I use textured vegetable protein often in spaghetti sauces, chili, Mexican dishes — anywhere you might use ground meat. It works especially well in sauces. Bob’s Red Mill is an excellent one and I have found that Marc’s has the best selection and prices for their products. I have also been searching for a good source of jackfruit. It has 3 grams of protein per cup and has the texture of pulled pork when cooked. But as I have discovered, a mango in Akron tastes incredibly different than a mango in San Francisco. Just like a mango, jackfruit is a tropical variety. It does come canned however. I may try to locate some.
Once in a while, I must admit, there is nothing like a pulled pork sandwich made in the Crockpot topped with City BBQ sauce that I found at Marc’s. There is some calling my name right now in the fridge!
From Noreen S.:
I stopped eating beef and pork about 20 years ago for many reasons. We went totally vegetarian for about eight years, but now we also have fish and occasionally chicken or turkey. Vegetarian cooking takes more planning and searching for recipes. I would probably still be a vegetarian, but my husband started missing meat. I honestly don’t have any special vegetarian recipes, but some family favorites were vegetarian chili, baked bean burritos, and veggie lasagne — all pretty standard fare.
From Heidi:
I don’t think I could be a vegan or vegetarian. I have too many memories attached to Julia Child’s beef Bourguignon to never make it again. I think it’s good to support farmers in our community when we can and be thoughtful about what we’re buying.
Do try these:
https://www.skinnytaste.com/broccoli-and-cheese-mini-egg-omelets-2/.
Acme (Montrose) usually carries Bob Evans and/or store brand egg whites. I use 16 oz. egg whites and 2 whole eggs. I use Birdseye baby broccoli florets — I don’t add oil to the broccoli. I bake them for 15 minutes and then add the cheese, bake for 5 more minutes.
When I have a work project and working toward a deadline, it’s great to have a dozen to get me through some days. I splash on some Frank’s Hot Sauce — but watch to keep part plain to share with my pooch.
If you have Fred and Linda Griffith’s onion cookbook, Tracy’s breakfast quiche is great. I’ve made it with 8 eggs or 16 oz. egg whites plus 2 eggs. I don’t use the jalapeño cheese — use extra cheddar — and use chopped green olives instead of jalapeños. I chop the onion large enough I can pick it out (…pooch). I usually use 6 oz Jones Canadian Bacon. And again, it gives me healthy food for several days, particularly great when I’ve got a big work project.
From Kim D.:
I have embraced Meatless May this year! Not for any reason other than I find I am eating less meat and thought, why not?
I, too, would like to find some meatless recipes. So far I have eaten veggie soup, salad and lasagne. I see lentils and split peas in my immediate future, not sure what else.
From Marlene H.:
I flipped to plant-based mid-November 2020 to try and lower my cholesterol and lose weight. In August 2020, I was doing keto to try and lose the pandemic weight gain. I really loved the high protein and dairy components of keto. But when my cholesterol blood work results in mid-November came back elevated, I did some Internet research looking to reduce my cholesterol numbers through diet in hope of not having to go on cholesterol reducing medication. Most articles I read suggested reducing the intake of saturated fat (contained in animal products and higher in red meat products), increasing fiber, and leading me towards the plant-based diet, which I decided to try. Since mid-November, I have lost 35 pounds and my “bad” cholesterol dropped by 11 points.
I have not experienced any meat cravings and have actually been pretty satisfied with the high fiber, high veggie options and do not feel starved. Have found numerous plant-based recipes on the Internet and most are quite flavorful. One of my favorites is Spinach Hummus, which is so easy to make and so versatile. The recipe is by Love and Lemons at https://www.loveandlemons.com/spinach-hummus-wrap/
SPINACH HUMMUS
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup vegetable broth (or water)
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. tahini
1 garlic clove
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup fresh parsley
⅛ tsp. cumin
⅛ tsp. smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1½ cups packed fresh spinach
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, vegetable broth, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, parsley, cumin, paprika, and black pepper and blend well. Add the spinach and blend again. Chill until ready to use.
I make wraps with the hummus using Mission brand Carb Balance whole wheat tortillas. The tortillas come in 3 sizes: Street Tacos, Regular Tacos, and Burritos. They are low in carbs, high in fiber, calorie count not bad, and flavor/texture nice. I add all kinds of veggie toppings to the wraps. The possibilities are endless depending on your taste and imagination.
I do have a sweet tooth, so to keep that in check I keep these vegan chocolate chip cookies on hand. The recipe is also by Love and Lemons at https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-spelt-cookies/ I subbed Swerve brown sugar substitute for the cane sugar; sugar-free (stevia sweetened) chocolate chips for the regular chocolate chips; and olive oil for the coconut oil.
I’ve tried the alternate meat burgers (Burger King’s Impossible Burger and the Ultimate Plant-Based Burger) and they are both quite satisfying in taste and texture. I’ve also tried the bean-based burger recipes, but with less success in taste and texture. Have not found a home-made bean burger recipe that I like yet. Also, tried gardein’s Nashville Hot Chick’n Tenders (plant-based) and they were really tasty. Have some Morning Star Farms Veggie Dogs in the freezer, but haven’t had a chance to try them yet. Hopeful they will be tasty too.
Overall, I am enjoying the plant-based diet and the health results of reduction in cholesterol numbers and weight loss. The fiber has been keeping me feeling full and the flavorful recipes I’ve found have been keeping me feeling not deprived. On a side note, I find myself enjoying spicier foods more than I ever have in the past. Not exactly sure why.
From Dan C., Rock Hill, S.C.:
While we have not chosen to go entirely meatless, we have dramatically reduced meat consumption over the past few years, rarely eating beef and focusing primarily on chicken and fish in reduced quantities. That said, we moved to South Carolina five years ago and I cannot give up my pork BBQ, although we don’t eat it often.
When cooking I just leave the meat out of most recipes, including your wonderful chili recipe; in that case I just add more beans. We still consume eggs and cheese in moderate amounts, and my wife still drinks 1% milk, while I have switched to almond milk for cooking. I have made an effort to buy fewer processed foods where possible, so we avoid meat substitutes, and the bulk of our grocery cart seems to be produce these days. We often roast vegetables in the air fryer and eat a lot of salads.
From Sandy D.:
I recycle, reduce, reuse — but I’m not sure I can give up meat. Haven’t even tried, quite honestly. But I did make Chef John’s recipe for meatless meatball last week, and it was pretty darned good:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/232908/chef-johns-meatless-meatballs/
I guess it helps that I love mushrooms in almost any way, shape or form.
From Jen G., Charlotte, N.C.:
Oh boy — I bet you’re about to get a lot of mail. Vegans love to talk about veganism!
My husband and I decided to eat a fully-vegan diet in January, and came to that conclusion independently. My decision was after a routine physical that didn’t go how I wanted, and his decision was influenced by being tired of having stomach pain all the time. Vegan food has come a long way since the (as my father would say) “weeds and vinegar diet” of the 70s. We still eat some of those comfort-food type foods, in addition to our weeds and vinegar.
Anyway — protein! Nutritional yeast is my secret weapon. 2 tablespoons has 8 grams of protein, and it’s great just sprinkledon popcorn. Many people think it tastes kind of cheesy; so much so that Cadry Nelson’s vegan chili cheese dip (https://cadryskitchen.com/vegan-cheese-dip/) is a party favorite. Do you like/ have you tried seitan? It’s wheat gluten, so not for the gluten-sensitive, but one ounce is 21grams of protein and only 4 grams of carbs. You can make your own, or buy it pre-made. As with almost all foods, homemade tastes better, of course. Susan Voisin’s barbecue seitan “ribz” are a good start: https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/05/barbecued-seitan-ribz.html.
One more, more of a technique than a recipe — if you are eating tofu, bust out the waffle iron: https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2018/05/barbecued-waffle-iron-tofu.html.
See Jane Cook 