Sloppy Joes #recipe by V.alerie Burns @vmburns

VMBurns:  I used to start each new year with the same resolution, LOSE WEIGHT. I've stopped making resolutions.  In fact, I no longer use that evil four-letter D-word (diet). Now, I vow to make better choices. Hopefully, those choices will result in weight loss or better health. Back when I was dieting, I ran across a Weight Watchers recipe for Sloppy Joes. I've adapted the recipe a smidge, and it's now my favorite Sloppy Joe recipe because it's super easy and very flavorful. 

SLOPPY JOES 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 - 1 1/2 lb hamburger

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 bell pepper, chopped

• 1 1/2 Cups Ketchup

• 2 tsp yellow mustard

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop the bell pepper and onion and cook on medium heat until softened. 

2. Add the hamburger.

3. Break up the hamburger and brown until no longer pink.

4. Drain the mixture and then return to skillet.

5. Add the remaining ingredients.

     

6. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Not concerned about calories or losing weight? It's still yummy, but go ahead and add butter to your bun and toast it with a slice of cheese.  

READERS: Did you make any New Year's Resolutions this year? Answer Yay or Nay in the comments for a chance to win a copy of KILLER WORDS.

V. M. Burns

My most recent release is KILLER WORDS, Mystery Bookshop Mystery #7.

Valerie Burns

Bookstore owner and mystery writer Samantha Washington comes to the aid of the cop who once arrested her own grandmother . . .
 
Sam and Nana Jo are back in sleepy North Harbor, Michigan, where Sam is eagerly awaiting the publication of her first book. In search of more immediate excitement, Nana Jo hits the casino with her fellow Shady Acres Retirement Village gal pals—but they get more than they bargained for when they witness Detective Bradley Pitt decking mayoral candidate John Cloverton.
 
As Sam well knows, mystery novels are full of brilliant detectives, genius sleuths, and hero cops. Detective Bradley Pitt—aka “Stinky Pitt”—is another story. In the past, the dull-witted detective has mistakenly accused members of Sam’s family for crimes they didn’t commit. Now, it’s his turn: when Cloverton turns up dead, he’s arrested. With his predilection for polyester, Pitt has been wanted by the fashion police for years, but Nana Jo knows her former elementary school math student would never commit murder—it doesn’t add up. Somebody’s framed the flatfoot to take a fall, and Sam and Nana Jo must step in to restore the reputation and good name of Detective Pitt.

  

Low Calorie Sloppy Joes

 

This is a Weight Watchers recipe.  I've been trying to eat lightly to "make weight" for our daughter's wedding today. (Yes, I'm very excited!)  If you like sloppy Joes, I don't think you'll be disappointed in this lightened up version.  I couldn't find crushed tomatoes in puree so I just used a can of puree.  I think it was actually a 28 ounce can--not sure they make 20 ounce cans.  I like to toast the buns, but that is up to you.  Also, I used a green pepper--I don't see why you couldn't substitute a red pepper if you prefer. 

Interesting side note:  Where I come from in New Jersey, a sloppy Joe is actually a sandwich.  A handful of delis make them and they are delicious--three pieces of rye bread; your choice of ham, turkey or roast beef; cole slaw; Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing.  They're best if made the night before so the bread can "marinate" in all the flavors. 

 

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped  

2 ribs celery chopped

 1 bell pepper, chopped

 1 lb. lean ground turkey breast

 1Tbsp chili powder

 2 tsp. dried basil

Salt & pepper to taste

 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

 20 oz. canned crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

 ¼ cup ketchup

 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

 1 cup frozen corn kernels

8 Hamburger buns 

 

Heat oil over medium-high heat.

Add onion, celery and bell pepper and sauté until tender. 

 

Add turkey and sauté until browned. 

 

Add chili powder, basil, salt, black pepper and cayenne and stir.

Add crushed tomatoes, ketchup and mustard, stir.

 

Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

Stir in corn and simmer until heated through.

Spoon mixture onto rolls and serve hot.

 

"A Fatal Footnote is a delightful romp in the English countryside sure to entertain any cozy mystery reader."  Open Book Society

Writer-in-residence Penelope Parish will need to use every trick in her quaint British bookshop to unravel a murderous plot that threatens to ruin a ducal wedding.

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Upper Chumley-on Stoke has all the makings of a fairy tale, complete with a glowing bride and horse-drawn carriage. But it wouldn't be much of a story without a villain, and as American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish is coming to learn, happy-ever-afters are as fraught in this charming British town as they are in her books.

When the Duke's former girlfriend is found murdered at the reception it's up to Penelope and her newfound family at the Open Book bookshop to catch the killer before they strike again.

 

AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE

Murder in the Margins has everything: England * Charming town * Book shop * Writer-in-residence * Royalty * Cute detective * Murder!

 

 

The plot thickens for American gothic writer Penelope Parish when a murder near her quaint British bookshop reveals a novel's worth of killer characters.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble 

 

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Easy Sloppy Joes @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: I have a strong memory of sloppy Joes from my childhood. Back in middle school, or maybe it was late grade school, our school was being rehabilitated and we had to go to another school and share split sessions. That meant that half the kids arrived very early (could it have been 6 AM?) and left by noon. The other kids attended from noon to five. My sister and I were in the early bird shift. And my mother hated getting up early.

But she wanted us to eat well before we went to school. One of the things she fixed ahead of time for our breakfast was sloppy Joes. We were on our own for heating them up to eat at 5:30. They were delicious! Remembering that gave me the idea to re-create them for John and me.

Ingredients

1 pound high quality hamburger meat

One large onion

Three small or one large pepper

1/2 jar Bone-sucking or other favorite barbecue sauce

One can tomato sauce, 8 oz

Brown the beef and drain the grease and set this aside. Chop the onion and the peppers and sauté these until soft and beginning to brown. Add the meat back into the pan. Add the two sauces and simmer. Serve on soft rolls, toasted if you have the time, with a green salad or vegetable.

And then maybe grab a cupcake from Key West Cakes for dessert!

Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mysteries. #11, A SCONE OF CONTENTION, will be in bookstores near you on August 10. Follow Lucy on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter...

And if you are a Netgalley reviewer, Scone is available now!

 

Slim Sloppy Joes by Peg Cochran

My husband generally prefers food that is quick, uncomplicated and easy to eat. (And he has to have mint jelly with his lamb--go figure!) This recipe for Skinny Sloppy Joes fits the bill--without too big a caloric hit. This is a super fast meal that is likely to be a favorite with kids as well. Perfect for the night you'll be dying Easter eggs and/or making up those Easter baskets and don't have time to fuss at the stove!

If you must have beef in your sloppy joes, you can substitute lean ground beef for the turkey.

Oddly enough, the town where I come from in NJ sells a sandwich called the Sloppy Joe (a few surrounding towns sell them as well) but it's nothing like the standard recipe. It's three pieces of rye bread, ham or turkey--your pick, cole slaw and homemade Russian dressing. They are to die for! I'll post that recipe another time!


Skinny Sloppy Joes

1.25 lbs lean ground turkey (1 package)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
2/3 cup corn kernels
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar or Splenda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Hot sauce to taste
Whole-wheat hamburger buns

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and break into crumbles. Cook until no longer pink. Remove turkey from skillet and drain any liquid.

In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes.

Return the turkey to the skillet and stir in the remaining ingredients (except for hot sauce and buns). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add hot sauce to taste.


Serve on whole-wheat hamburger buns with the toppings of your choice.

Toppings:

Chopped onion
Pickle slices
Low-fat grated cheese
Sliced olives
Lettuce
Tomato slices

Banana peppers

Jalapenos (my favorite!)

Gone to the Dogs -- Crock Pot Barbecue

I home cook for my dogs. It's true. Now, before you write me off as a nut, there's a good reason that I cook for them. One of my dogs is allergic to grain. For a long time we visited the vet so often that they installed a revolving door for us. Then came a night when I thought poor Han had been poisoned and made a midnight dash to the doggie ER. Turned out his allergy was at the root of all the problems. The first thing the holistic vet said was -- take him off all commercial foods. Since then, some grain-free kibble has come on the market, but we're managing very well on home cooking, so I'm not inclined to rock the boat at this point.

Turns out cooking for dogs isn't all that difficult. They're omnivores like people (as opposed to cats who are carnivores), and with a few exceptions (chocolate, raisins, grapes, onions, and anything containing xylitol) dogs can eat almost anything we can eat. Who knew?

My dogs eat barley, lentils, Swiss chard, green beans, spinach, bok choy, raspberries, watermelon, apples, cucumbers, carrots, sweet potatoes -- and their latest favorite -- Asian pears. That's Queenie helping herself to raspberries right off the bush! Believe it or not, my diet has improved since I started cooking for them.


Consequently, I'm always on the lookout for meat that's on sale. One local store often offers pork sirloin roast at bargain prices. It's actually a nice looking chunk of meat. I checked out some recipes for it, and it appeared that most people roast it in the oven. That has been successful for me exactly once. I think it's just a cut that likes low, slow cooking. So I usually throw it into the crock pot with some diced tomatoes for the dogs. It always looks and smells fabulous when it's done. So tender that it just shreds apart.

Like Julie, I decided some experimentation was in order. Could I make barbecue in the crock pot? I used a boneless pork sirloin roast, and for good measure, added some Texas style ribs (no bones). I tossed in barbecue type ingredients and let it cook for eight hours.

Now, it didn't taste exactly like barbecue joint barbecue. Elizabeth's Lulu Taylor would be aghast. For starters, I didn't use any smoke in a bottle, and that smokiness was missing. And I think I liked it better the second day. But here's the thing -- it tasted exactly like ready made barbecue that I have bought in snazzy stores! It would make nice Sloppy Joes for kids, and to be honest, I'm going to be making this more often for myself because it's way cheaper than the store bought version and every bit as tasty.

Crock Pot Barbecue
(for people, but dog dinner inspired)

3 pounds pork (sirloin roast)
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup diced onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 teaspoon celery seeds

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low setting for eight hours. Shred meat with two forks.

Enjoy!