Yum - O

If any of you are like me you are always looking for something new to add to your selection of dinner recipes and it's always nice when it's easy and quick. If you are keep reading it will be worth it.

Thursday evening after dinner the kids went upstairs to play and I was able to watch 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray and I am so glad I had that opportunity. The episode airing was titled Guiltless Pleasures and Rachel was taking a couple of classics and giving them a twist. The menu consisted of Sloppy Buffalo Joes and Mashed Potato Skins. I'm not really sure if she was redoing Buffalo wings and Potato Skins or Sloppy Joes and Mashed Potatos but either way they looked amazing and I decided they had to be added to the grocery list for Friday evening.

I decided that they would make a good Saturday evening meal. This may sounds weird but I prefer simple meals for Saturday like Sloppy Joes, or Burgers so this fit that bill perfectly. They were so simple to make and didn't use too many dishes which is yet another plus. The best part was that it really was 30 minutes maybe even less so I didn't have to spend for ever fixing dinner. Dave was still at work, and still is so he hasn't tried them but the kids and I LOVED the meal and it has already been added to my recipe box.

So if you are looking for something quick, easy, and tasty here it is.

Sloppy Buffalo Joes

2 TBSP EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 Pounds Ground Chicken Breast
1 Carrot, peeled and grated (I used a handful of bagged shredded carrot)
2 Stalks Celery, chopped
1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper
2 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
1 TBSP Worchestershire Sauce
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cups Hot Sauce
1 cup Tomato Sauce
1 cup Chicken Stock
8 Buns
1 cup Blue Cheese Crumbles ( i used ranch on the kids and pepperjack cheese on mine)

Directions

Heat a large skillet with EVOO over medium high heat. Add meat and break it up with wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook 7 to 8 minutes more. In a bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. (The sauce seemed a little soupy to me so I took some cornstarch mixed with hot water and added it to the mixture to thicken things up.) Pile sloppy Buffalo filling on buns and top with your choice of cheese.

Mashed Potato Skins

6 slices Bacon
2 pounds small Yukon Gold Potatos, halved
1 cuo Buttermilk
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup Fresh Chives or Green Onions, chopped
1/2 cup Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the bacon on a sheet pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until crisp. Cool and chop.

Put potatoes in a medium sauce pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and season with salt. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash potatos with buttermilk and season with salt and pepper. Stir in chives, Cheddar and fold in bacon. My own special touch to this was to top with sour cream.

I hope you all will enjoy this meal because it really is Yum-O!