lunch

you gotta try these easy homemade sloppy joes!

October 2, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Who doesn’t love Sloppy Joes? Well, I do and these are delicious! Easy to make with ingredients you most likely have on hand in your refrigerator and pantry! You can make these spicy or cut back on the spice, depending on your heat level tolerance. I like a little spicy.

This makes a great weeknight meal or a great meal to feed a crowd. What about after your kids sports activities when they all head over to your house? This is one of those recipes that is even better the next day. Also, this would freeze well. Make a big batch on the weekend, stick in the freezer and let it defrost in your refrigerator for dinner that night.

Delicious Sloppy Joes!

I like to serve these on hoagie buns or on hamburger buns. Both work well. In a pinch, they are delicious on your favorite sandwich bread. The bread just doesn’t hold up as well as a bun, but just as tasty. This is a perfect ingredient for sliders for a party.

Don’t want a big hoagie bun? Make a sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese. You will not regret that!

Unlike most sloppy joe recipes that call for tomato sauce, these use a barbecue sauce. I make my own barbecue sauce which is Aaron Franklin’s barbecue sauce. I love it and it’s the best! If you don’t want to make it buy his bottled sauce or use your favorite barbecue sauce. If you can’t find Aaron’s barbecue sauces here’s a link for the sauce:https://amzn.to/2upieEn.

I use the Texas Style when I purchase, but I’ll include the recipe.

Here’s my smoked turkey sandwich that I use the same barbecue sauce, and I use it on brisket. It definitely is work making or the purchase. It will not disappoint. Here is the link for my Smoked Turkey Sandwich: https://the2spoons.com/amazing-the-best-ever-smoked-turkey-sandwiches/.

Delicious Sloppy Joes!

Here’s the recipe for the best Sloppy Joes! Enjoy

Sloppy Joes

Print Recipe

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Homemade Barbecue Sauce

1 3/4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

For the Sloppy Joes

1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb ground pork
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 orange pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 green peppers, coarsely chopped
salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups barbecue sauce, homemade or store bought
2 tbsp olive oil
3 sweet or spicy Italian pork sausages, casings removed
8 fresh hamburger buns or hoagie buns.
slices of cheese (optional)

Instructions

For the Barbecue Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. There is no need to bring the mixture to a boil, as the idea is just to warm it enough to melt and integrate the ingredients. Once you have done that, remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

For the Sloppy Joes

Brown the meat for 3-5 minutes under a high flame. Drain most of the fat, leaving a little in for seasoning. Add the Worcestershire Sauce and mix well. Add the onions and pepper, add salt and crush the oregano and add to the pot. Add the garlic and stir everything together. Coop for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the barbecue sauce , cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in 2 large frying pans, add the sausage that the casings have been removed and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain any fat from the sausages. Add the sausages to the pot of barbecue meat mixture, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about an hour.
I like to toast the buns but you can just serve on fresh hamburger buns. If you toast, butter the bun and toast on a hot griddle or in a skillet. Add Cheese if you like. Enjoy!

Keyword dinner, lunch, main course, sandwiches, sloppy joe, sloppy joes

Delicious! So Easy #1 Louisiana red beans and rice.

September 19, 2021 by Becky Spoon

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I love beans of any kind, but I especially love beans that have tons of flavor like Red Beans and Rice! These beans have are cooked with ham hocks, Andouille sausage, the holy trinity, onions, peppers and celery, along with traditional spices of Louisiana creole cuisine. Add some rice and you have a complete, so inexpensive hearty meal that has so many things that are good for you.

Delicious Red Beans and Rice

I served this with hot water cornbread. Have you heard of hot water cornbread? It’s a very southern cornbread that I grew up eating. It’s so easy and basically is a fried cornbread. Here’s just a really quick recipe:

Hot Water Cornbread

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
boiling hot water
oil for frying

Instructions

Add enough peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil to a skillet to fry the cornbread. Heat to medium high. You don't want it hot, because the outside will brown before the inside is done.
Bring a cup of water to boil (you may not need all of it). Combine all the ingredients.
Pour the hot water a little at a time into the mixture until completely combined. Your dough will be soft enough to form a disc with your hands. Too much water and you won't be able to do that.
Take golf size balls from the dough and form into a disc or a cylinder shape. Gently add to the hot oil and fry until golden brown.

An alternative is my basic cornbread with bacon:1 of My Favorites, Easy – Basic Cornbread Recipe with Bacon

delicious! so easy Louisiana red beans and rice.

I love food from Louisiana, especially New Orleans. I’ve made these beans many times but this time I kind of followed John Besh’s recipe from his cookbook “My New Orleans”. It’s pretty much the same as I always make but because I love this book and his recipes from New Orleans, I felt I needed to try it! He doesn’t use Kielbasa and I used pork belly to render my pork fat. I think the addition of these things added to his recipe. You could use Andouille Sausage, but it’s a little harder to find.

Here’s the link for John Besh’s cookbook: https://amzn.to/2SHF6ar. This is a great cookbook but you have to follow the instructions and not improvise. I only say that because the first recipe I tried from his book, I thought I knew what I was doing and didn’t necessarily follow to a T. The result was a recipe I really didn’t like. Years later I picked the book up and tried the recipe again following his instructions completely, and I loved it!

Other methods to cook this delicious dish.

I have cooked the beans in my instant pot many times making this recipe. I have also made them in a slow cooker. I think the hint I would have about a slow cooker it doesn’t really thicken your broth much and I do like my bean broth to cook down and thicken a little. This is the Instant Pot I use for so many things: https://amzn.to/4hHQ7m3.

Simple, Delicious Red Beans and Rice

Here are a couple more recipes I’ve made from his book. this is amazing – louisiana shrimp and grits.

Ok, add this new recipe to your Louisiana cooking repertoire!

Red Beans and Rice

5 from 1 vote

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Course Appetizer, dinner, easy side dish, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine cajun, creole

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Beans

2 onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp rendered bacon fat (I used pork belly, you can use bacon or salt pork)
1 pound dried red kidney beans
2 smoked ham hocks
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 green onions, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco
3 cups cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe follows)

For the Basic Louisiana White Rice

1 tbsp chicken fat, extra virgin olive oil or butter
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1-2 pinches salt

Instructions

For the Red Beans

Sweat the onions, bell peppers, and celery in the rendered bacon fat in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
Once the onions become translucent, add the kidney beans, ham hocks, bay leaves, and cayenne, then add water to cover by 2 inches.
Increase the heat and bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the beans to slowly simmer for 2 hours. Periodically stir the beans to make sure that they don't scorch on the bottom of the pot, adding water if necessary, always keeping the beans covered by an inch or more of water.
Continue cooking the beans until they are creamy and beginning to fall apart when they're stirred.
Remove the ham hock meat from the bones, roughly chop it, and add it back to the pot of beans.
Stir in the green onions and season with salt, black pepper and Tabasco. Serve with the Basic White Rice.

For the Basic Louisiana White Rice

Put the fat, oil or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.
Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff with a fork and serve.

Keyword cajun, creole, New Orleans food, red beans, red beans and rice

Quick & Spicy Breakfast Tostadas – Great for Dinner too!

February 6, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Everyone knows I love breakfast and these Quick & Spicy Breakfast Tostadas will not disappoint! Layered with black beans, breakfast sausage, chile con queso, then topped with a fried egg and homemade guacamole! The absolute best breakfast!

I used store bought tostadas which makes this breakfast even easier. I used the brand from HEB which is Mi Tienda by HEB. I purchased the Amarillas yellow corn but they have red also. Here’s the link for those https://www.heb.com/product-detail/mi-tienda-amarillas-yellow-tostadas/2275018.

This brand from Walmart is good too: https://goto.walmart.com/c/2049504/568835/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&prodsku=17804102&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FCharras-Corn-Tostada-12-3-oz-Pack-of-8%2F17804102.

Quick & Spicy Breakfast Tostadas

I used a spicy breakfast sausage and the black beans and the queso and guacamole were left over from Super Bowl Bob Armstrong Dip which is great! Here’s the link for the dip: https://the2spoons.com/famous-bob-armstrong-dip/.

Can’t wait for you to make these tostadas! Oh, and try the Bob Armstrong Dip! The queso, black beans and guacamole can be made ahead so that when you make these you can just really assemble.

Here’s another breakfast recipe from the blog:https://the2spoons.com/easy-brisket-breakfast-burritos/.

Spicy Breakfast Tostadas

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Course Breakfast

Cuisine Mexican, Texmex

Ingredients

For the Black Beans

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Queso

3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large poblano chile, chopped
3 jalapenos, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
salt
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk (or more depending on the thickness you desire)
1/2 lb Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 lb medium or sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb velveeta

For the Guacamole

3-4 avocados
1-2 Serrano or jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp diced white onion
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (I just taste after I add a little)
1 Roma tomato, diced
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper (optional)

For the Tostadas

2 Crispy Tostadas of your choice (see blog content for suggestions)
Black Beans
Queso
2 servings of breakfast Sausage browned and crumbled
guacamole
2-4 eggs fried sunny side up

Instructions

For the Black Beans

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a food processor and add black beans, lime juice, and ¼ cup water. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.

For the Guacamole

If using a molcajete, place your chile, garlic and a little salt in the bottom and grind until the desired consistency of your chile and onions. Add your avocado and mash. At this point, it is pretty much done but you want to add your lemon and salt to taste. After you get your seasoning and lemon as you want it, add the tomatoes and combine. Store refrigerated until ready to use.

For the Queso

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, chile, jalapeños, and garlic, stirring, until tender but not browned, 8–10 minutes. Add tomatoes, season with salt, and continue to cook until juices have evaporated, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until incorporated, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and continue to cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, gradually add both cheeses, and cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is completely melted and queso is smooth. If it seems too thick, stir in a little more milk.

Final Assembly of Tostados

Heat the broiler. Cook the sausage breaking up with a spoon or spatula. Heat the beans and the queso. Add your eggs to a skillet with a little butter over medium heat and cook to desired doneness. Spread some of the black beans over the tostados and place on a sheet pan. Place under the broiler for just a minute or until the tostado is browned on the edges and warmed through. Remove to two plates. Top each with a little of the queso, then the crumbled sausage. Top them with your sunny side up eggs or over medium eggs and top with a little more of the queso. Serve with your favorite salsa if you like. Enjoy!

Keyword breakfast, guacamole, mexican food, queso, spicy breakfast tostadas, texmex, tostadas

The Best Chili Mac

January 23, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Remember the Texas Chili I made the other day? Well, this Chili Mac is from the leftover chili! Most recipes you find for this recipe are with ground beef and I can never differentiate them from Goulash. It just seems so many of the ingredients are what you put in goulash??!! Chili Mac to me says Chili and Macaroni! Isn’t that what you think? Like Cincinnati Chili and Spaghetti? Yes, Exactly. That’s what it should be.

The chili recipe is at this link: https://the2spoons.com/i-love-this-instant-pot-texas-chili/.

This recipe is so easy, loaded with macaroni and cheese, this is the ultimate casserole, ready and on the table in about 30 minutes! Also great for using up leftover chili well worth making straight from scratch!

The Best Chili Mac

I added sautéed onions and bell peppers along with diced tomatoes. I used Mutti tomatoes because they have a great flavor. Here’s a link if you’re not familiar https://amzn.to/37qBRKI.

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Chili Mac

Print Recipe

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chipotle chili powder or regular chili powder
1 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1/2-1 lb macaroni
leftover homemade chili, or a good quality store bought chili
1 cup cubed Velveeta cheese
1 – 1 1/2 cup medium cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley, chopped to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook your macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet then add the onions and peppers. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add a little salt and pepper and the chili powder. Add the tomatoes and combine. Add the leftover chili, stir to combine and heat through. If you think it's not juicy enough, add a little water, tomato juice or beef stock to loosen the mixture. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese.
Add the macaroni to the chili mixture and toss to combine, but don't over stir. . Butter a casserole dish and add the mixture. Dot the dish with the cubed Velveeta. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and cook until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Keyword casserole, cheese, chili, chili mac, dinner, leftovers, lunch, macaroni and cheese, maccaroni, supper, tomatoes

Yummy Corned Beef Hash is so Easy

January 15, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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When you have leftover Corned Beef you must have Corned Beef Hash! As you all know breakfast is probably my favorite meal and hash is always a favorite when we have leftover meat. However, this hash is the perfect lunch, supper or dinner too.

If you cooked your corned beef with potatoes and carrots, you can use them in this too. I didn’t use those because they were a little mushy, so I used Simply Potato Cottage Fries which was wonderful and I grated carrots so they would cook faster and more evenly with the potatoes. http://goto.walmart.com/c/2049504/568835/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&prodsku=172659154&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FSimply-Potatoes-O-Brien-Hash-Browns-20-Oz%2F172659154.

Yummy Corned Beef Hash is so Easy

The leftover corned beef was from the weekend and I had cooked it in the Instant Pot, the easiest thing ever. Here’s the link for that recipe: https://the2spoons.com/simple-instant-pot-corned-beef/.

All I did on the hash was to first sauté the carrots and green onions in a little butter and extra virgin olive oil. Then I added my potatoes (which are cooked) and on high heat browned a little before I added my corned beef. After I added my corned beef, I continued to brown pressing down a little to form kind of a patty, making sure though that it doesn’t become mushy.

Yummy Corned Beef Hash is so Easy

Here’s the recipe! If you don’t have leftover corned beef you can use deli corned beef but have them slice thick. You want chunks of the corned beef. I poached eggs which are so easy after you get the hang of it. Perfectly cooked they add a sauce to the dish and bring everything together! Hope you try this recipe and enjoy!

Corned Beef Hash

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Course Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Irish

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots grated on your large hole box grater
1 bunch green onions, tops and bottoms
3-4 cups leftover or thick sliced deli corned beef cubed
poached or fried eggs

Instructions

Add your butter and evoo to a large skillet and heat to medium high. Add your grated carrots, stirring to make sure they don't burn until they are soft. Add your green onions and cook about 2 minutes. Add the cottage fries, combine with the carrots and onions, increase the heat and allow the potatoes to sit and brown on that side. After they have browned, turn them and allow the next side to brown a little. Add your cubed corned beef and continue to cook, pressing down just a little until browned and your corned beef is heated through.
Divide among 4 plates or bowls and top with one or two either fried or poached eggs. Serve with toast, biscuits ore a crusty French bread.
*To poach the eggs, Crack your eggs into a bowl, two at a time. Fill a small saucepan with water about halfway and bring to a boil. Add about a teaspoon vinegar. With a spoon or whisk, stir the water in a circular motion to create a whirlpool and add your first egg, then the second egg. Allow the eggs to cook. They will start to come together. After a few minutes, using a slotted spoon, lift the eggs one at a time so you can feel them for your desired doneness. When done, remove to a kitchen towel or paper towel, then top your hash with the desired amount of eggs per plate.

Keyword breakfast, corned beef, corned beef hash, cottage fries, dinner, hash, Instant Pot, Instant Pot Corned Beef, lunch, supper

Quick, Sweet and Saucy Pork Chops

August 29, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Wow! these Sweet and Saucy Pork Chops are so good! When I received my September 2019 issue of bon appetit this recipe was on the cover and I’m telling you I had to immediately make this recipe! When I saw pork chops, fresh rosemary, garlic, capers, something that looked like onions but was shallots I was in!

Quick Sweet & Saucy Pork Chops

Not only are these chops delicious, but they are quick! I think it took me 20 minutes to cook the entire meal! I served the pork chops with long-grain white rice that was seasoned with a little salt and pepper and butter. As a side dish, I had my Sautéed Spinach which takes minutes! https://the2spoons.com/garlicky-sauteed-spinach-red-pepper-flakes/.

I realize it is hard to get a meal on the table with school going on and all the activities going on, but there’s no reason for take out because this dish is so fast. 20 minutes! Bon appetit commented “For weeknight-friendly pork chops that cook in record time but are still succulent, we turn to an unexpected ingredient: sugar. A pinch sprinkled over the surface helps the chops caramelize and develop a golden-brown crust before the meat has a chance to dry out. For max juiciness, we finish cooking them in a buttery-tangy pan sauce that then gets spooned over every slice.”

I used Center Cut Pork Chops because you get a consistent pork chop with each chop. Sam’s Club had some really beautiful chops the other day so I purchased them. https://www.samsclub.com/p/pork-center-cut-loin-chops-priced-per-pound/prod20995802?xid=plp_product_1_1.

Quick, Sweet and Saucy Pork Chops

Here’s this quick and easy recipe! Enjoy!

Sweet and Saucy Pork Chops

Print Recipe

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

2 1" Thick bone-in center cut pork chops (look for the most marbled ones you can find, preferably with some fat cap too)
kosher shalt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 sprigs rosemary
1 tbsp. drained capers
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

Season pork chops with salt and sprinkle evenly with ½ tsp. sugar. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chops, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook just until second side is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer chops to a plate (they won’t be fully cooked); reduce heat to medium.
Pour remaining 1 Tbsp. oil into same skillet and add shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add vinegar and remaining 1 tsp. sugar to skillet. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until vinegar is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Add rosemary, capers, and ½ cup water to skillet; season with salt. Reduce heat as needed to maintain a very low simmer. Add butter and swirl pan continuously (and vigorously) until sauce becomes smooth, glossy, and emulsified.
Return pork chops to skillet, arranging darker side up. Simmer gently in sauce, swirling occasionally, until chops are cooked through, about 3 minutes (a thermometer inserted near the bones should register 135°).
Transfer pork chops to plates and spoon sauce over.

Keyword dinner, main course, pork, pork chops, sweet and saucy pork chops