Wednesday, February 28, 2007

A new favorite sloppy joe



Turkey Sloppy Joes
Delicious and Dependable Slow Cooker Recipes Copyright 2002

2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 ½ lbs ground turkey
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced, optional I used this
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup tomato-based chili sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese I used less
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped, optional I added this
Hot onion buns I used whole wheat buns

1. In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooker stoneware. Drain and discard liquid.
2. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, jalapeño pepper, if using, chili powder, oregano, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chili sauce and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.
3. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until mixture is hot and bubbling. Add cheese and green pepper, if using. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and pepper is softened. Spoon over hot split onion buns and serve.

Serves 6.
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I thought these were a lot more flavorful than your average sloppy joe. I did find them to be a bit too salty so when I make them again, I won't add the salt. I don't think these have to be slow-cooked, although I think they should simmer for a while to blend the flavors. So if you don't own a crock pot, I think you could still give this recipe a try. My son enjoyed these too.

My only regret is that I had planned on making my own sandwich rolls but I saw that I had rolls in the breadbox and decided to use those up instead. Had I known just how much I was going to like the filling, I would have made the homemade rolls - this recipe deserved them.

I think I need to regroup. I feel 'off' since I've been sick, maybe even before that. I'm not taking a break from blogging (as long as I'm cooking, I might as well be blogging) but I need to clean and organize my house and get a few things out of the way that have been nagging at me before I can really throw myself back into this. I think I do pretty well considering I'm out of the house 10 hours Monday-Friday for work and commute and I'm raising a 3 year old and a husband. However, I'm starting to bore myself. I'd like to make at least a few recipes each month that challenge me, that maybe aren't practically but hopefully fun. I'm blown away by so many food bloggers yet I've noticed that some of most prolific ones don't mention working outside the home or even children in many cases. What I wouldn't do to have just one day a week to cook to my heart's content.

It's the last day to sign up for a chance to win a cookbook this month. I never updated the cookbook link in the corner and I'm seeing some problems with linking to old posts with the new Blogger (at least I think it's the new blogger). I'll look into it but I'm out of time right now. Go into the February archives and scroll down to sign up if you haven't yet.

Blast From The Past: Shortbread Wedges from April 2006. One thing I would like to do more often is make more fun homemade treats for my son. I haven't pulled that animal pan out in ages. Right now he's enjoying graham cracker sticks that I dipped in chocolate and covered with sprinkles. Every time he eats one, he asks 'You made this?' and he seems very impressed lol.

Question of the Day: Have you come across any problems with new Blogger? What are they?

7 comments:

Heather said...

I haven't caught anything yet. I reall don't see a lot of things different either. However, I haven't been looking either.

I agree with the feeling a little stale with the blogging. I was about to give it up when for some reason my post about the new Panera soup kept getting new comments. So I started again. I work 40 hours a week out of the house and while I don't have children, up until recently I was in graduate school. So I can relate.

Anonymous said...

Paula, I hope you continue blogging. I don't always comment because sometimes I have to enter the word verification over and over before it takes. (and I KNOW I'm typing in the right letters)

I am always amazed at your consistency with your cooking (and your blog). I know you work outside the home and have your beautiful son (who I love hearing about. I LOL'd at the "You made this?" So cute)

My boys are now 20 and 18 and will be moving out this summer. They are gone so much, I don't seem to cook nearly as much as I once did. I don't enjoy cooking anymore either since they'll just come home and heat up a plate and then be off again. They're both in school (one in college) and both work so I don't see them much. My youngest works at Texas Roadhouse so he eats better than we do!

I understand your feelings. There just isn't enough time to get EVERYTHING done that we feel like we should be doing. (pleeeeezzeee don't stop blogging though!)

Heck, I'd love to see a picture of Nick enjoying his very special chocolate dipped (w/sprinkles) graham cracker stick! I like how you change up a recipe to fit your likes and try to make it a little more healthy.

This is probably too long. Just want you to know I enjoy your blog very much and I love hearing the foods your son loves. He's adventureous and I think that's great! (especially with the scariness of his nut allergy)

DancesInGarden said...

I can't leave comments, that's what!

DancesInGarden said...

OMIGOD, it worked! Well, what do you know. If I had known it was going to work, I would have put something better ROFL.

Randi said...

i hate the new blogger!!

Did I enter your cookbook contest? If not, consider this my entry. I do have a US mailing address too

Christine said...

I think it's amazing how often you are able to blog with as much going on as you do. I'm only out 3 days a week and have no kids, but can only manage to get one post up a week! You may not be content, but you must be doing something right to keep us coming back!

P.S. Give into the urge and make the crumb cake. My advice would be to take it to work for a large group to devour, then you won't feel so guilty about making it.

Red Dirt Mummy said...

I tried to post this earlier today and Blogger threw it out into the blogosphere never to be seen again, so that would be something that I hate about the new Blogger. I did work out that some comments don't 'take' because they are long (like this one!) and by the time you finish typing it the timer thingo on the word verification has changed but you can't see what the new letters are until Blogger rejects your message! Another thing that annoys me is that in my post I don't always get a new line when I want one. That seems to be kind of random so I haven't quite worked it out yet. There are other peeves but I don't remember them until they happen again and make me swear at the computer!

I too have been feeling very stale of late - mostly with cooking so blogging loses out by default. I'm being a SAHM at the moment and I don't know how you manage to blog each day with all you have going on!