Mom's Sloppy Joes with Garlicky Potato Wedges

There's something so comforting about Sloppy Joes. It's a super easy recipe to make, which is precisely why this dinner was prepared when I was in the thick of my cold. 40 minutes of hands-off cooking time for the potatoes, and 10 minutes of stove-top cook time for the joes. Perfect for the girl who had a hard time peeling herself off the couch and away from her box of Kleenex. The hubby and I don't really eat burgers and fries anymore, indulging this way is pretty much how we do these days.

My mom used to make these monthly when my brother and I were growing up. I'd never experienced a Manwich until I met my husband at 23. Yuck! One was enough for the remainder of my life. I think they put sugar in Manwich, and I don't do sugar in my sloppy joes. I don't like my salsa, my tomato sauce, or my Sloppy Joes sweet. The hubby had never had homemade sloppy joes before he met me, and he converted immedately. After having my joes, and then imbibing in Manwich, the hubby was really turned off the canned stuff. I've happily been making my mom's version ever since. And honestly, there's 3 ingredients in the sauce. Why buy a canned version when the homemade tastes better, is homemade, and it's not even hard o make?

On a separate subject, I'm getting a wee bit tired of this polar vortex. It's -1º right now, and this is not fun. It takes me 5 minutes to put on enough clothes to go outside. I did the grocery shopping yesterday in (from the feet up): boots, leg warmers, socks, thermal underwear, jeans, gloves, a thermal undershirt, sweatshirt with hood, coat, scarf, hat, and headband that covers my ears. Sheesh. Haloti is not as sensitive to the cold, but Gizmo is so miserable. I can't imagine how cold it must be for a 4-lb dog without an insulating double coat.  We pretty much have to carry the little dude out, put him in the grass, and pray he does his business before he makes a beeline for the house. Argh. It's January, and I'm sooooo ready for spring. There's no squirrels, birds, or deer visiting my yard in this weather, and that's so not cool.

Stay warm, my friends!

Ingredients:

Potatoes-
4 Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
garnish- minced parsley (optional)

Sloppy Joes:
1 tsp olive oil
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 lb ground hamburger, 90/10 mix*
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup ketchup
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
hamburger buns

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. To prepare potatoes: Combine potatoes, olive oil, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes in a single layer on cookie sheet, and bake in preheated oven, 40-45 minutes, or until potatoes are browned and crisp. Stir potatoes once, about halfway through. When done, remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley, and allow to cool while you prepare Sloppy Joes.
3. To prepare Sloppy Joes: Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. When warm, add onions and celery. Sauté 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add hamburger to pan. Stir to crumble. Cook until meat is well browned. Add ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes more, or until mixture is heated. Spoon onto hamburger buns, serve alongside potatoes. Serve immediately.

*A note about hamburger meat- I highly recommend using a 90/10 fat mix on the hamburger. The Sloppy Joe mix really gives the meat flavor, you don't need a fattier mix. If you do use a fattier mix, such as 80/20, you'll end up with sloppy joes swimming in grease. Icky. Save your 80/20 for when you need the flavor, like burgers.

Recipe brought to you courtesy of my mom!