Not Your Average Sloppy Joes

As much as I like to think I am a culinary wizard, Teresa always amazes me with her adventurous nature and fun creations in the kitchen. We had bread with homemade butter to snack on as she whipped up the Sloppy Joe topping.  I even have the super easy directions to share...who would have thought?

"Why should you prepare butter at home? Simply because it is much healthier than the processed butter you are so used to eating. It contains natural, and not processed, fats that are healthy for the body, and ought to be an important part of our diet. It is also free of additives such as excess salt and other chemicals, that are used to flavor processed butter. Homemade butter is a rich source of fatty acids, healthy cholesterol, and important vitamins." (Buzzle.com)

Homemade butter

Heavy cream

In food processor or mixer whip cream. Will become whipped cream, continue to process. Emulsion will break and solids will start to form.  Pour off non-fat butter milk and flavor butter (herbs, salt, etc.)

How easy is that?? With our hearty and delicious dinner we had a Beet & Goat Cheese salad. The simple recipe is as follows...

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Beets & crumbled goat cheese over your choice of greens and covered with your favorite white balsamic vinaigrette. If you're feeling particularly adventurous have some candied walnuts to sprinkle over the top.

Not Your Average Sloppy Joe

Serves 8-12

2# ground beef

3 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp canola oil

1 ½ large yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1.5 tsp chili powder

3.5 C chicken stock

4 tsp tomato paste

2 large ear yellow corn, kernels removed

4 plum tomatoes diced

½ c chopped fresh cilantro

ground black pepper

Avocado slices on top

Combine beef, salt and garlic, mix.  In large skillet over high heat cook meat thoroughly.   Heat oil in skillet and add onion and pepper. Cook for 2 mins stirring occasionally.  Add meat back to skillet.  Add jalapeno, cumin, chili powder.  Cook and stir for 1 min. Stir in stock and tomato paste and return beef to pan. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half.  Remove from heat. Stir in corn, tomatoes, and cilantro.   Serve hot over toasted bread or pasta.

Recipe adapted from Kurt Beecher Dammeier’s Pure Flavor 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest

And on to dessert...how do we have room for this??

Mini Blueberry Pies

All Butter Double- Crust Pie Dough1/3 c ice water, plus extra as needed
3 Tbsp sour cream or greek yogurt
2.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for the work surface1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp table salt16 Tbsp unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into ¼ inch pieces and frozen for 10-15 mins

• Mix 1/3 cup of the ice water and greek yogurt in a small bowl until combined. Process the flour, sugar and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and pulse the mixture until the butter is the size of large peas, about 10 pulses.

• Pour half of the yogurt mixture over the flour mixture and pulse until incorporated, about 3 pulses. Repeat with remaining yogurt mixture. Pinch the dough with fingers, if it feels dry and does not hold together, sprinkle 1-2 T more ice water over the mixture and pulse until the dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains 3 to 5 pulses.

• Divide the dough into two even pieces. Turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 4” disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hr. Before rolling, let sit on counter for 10 mins. To make mini pies- roll out and use round cookie cutter. With dough cut roll to fit muffin pan. Fill with filling. Cut and roll second piece. Crimp edges and vent.

Blueberry filling

6 cups fresh blueberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and shredded 
¾ c sugar
2 T instant tapioca, ground
2 tsp grated zest plus 2 tsp juice from lemon
pinch table salt
2 T unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

• Place 3 cups of berries in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Using a potato masher, mash the berries several times to release the juices. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 ½ cups, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

• Adjust an over rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Place the shredded apple in a paper towel and ring dry. Transfer the apple to a large bowl and stir in the cooked berries, remaining 3 c of uncooked berries, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice and salt until combined. Spread the mixture into the dough lined cups. Scatter the butter pieces over the top of the filling.

• After placing top dough piece, crimp edges and vent. Brush with the egg white

• Place on heated baking sheet and bake @ 400 degrees F until crust is golden, about 25mins. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, rotate and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown.

Thank you for hosting Teresa!

AK