Sloppy Joes

Let me just say straight up that I've never been a fan of sloppy joes. Mainly because they're sloppy. And the juice from the meat turns the buns into soggy messes. I do not like soggy buns. My husband always has a good laugh over that when I say it. "She doesn't like soggy buns....ha, ha, ha!"

So in all of our married life I've never made sloppy joes. If I didn't like them, why make them? Well, I recently learned that Charles loves sloppy joes. And he wanted some. Oh dear, what's a good wife to do?

Well, she makes sloppy joes and hopes her kids don't like them either! Ha ha! Unfortunately for me, the kids loved them and ate two apiece. Great. I made them from scratch - no Manwich in this house! - and they really turned out well. I learned that if I toast my buns before slathering on the sloppy joe filling, the buns don't get soggy. Not if I eat them quickly.

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
1 lb ground beef
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 TBSP ketchup
1 teas chili powder
1 teas garlic powder
1/2 teas cumin
1/2 teas salt
1/4 teas pepper

In a skillet, cook the ground beef, onions and green pepper. Drain well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Heat through, then served on toasted buns.


You can use ground turkey in place of the ground beef, but add a little water because ground turkey tends to be drier.

Chocolate Banana Pops

It's been hot here in the Deep South. Really hot. So cool treats from the freezer are nice to keep on hand. And here's a recipe you'll love because it's so simple and yummy.

Here's what you need:

4 firm bananas, sliced in half width-wise
8 popsicle stickes
6 oz chocolate chips (that's half a bag)
1/3 cup peanut butter
Sprinkles

Insert the popsicle sticks into the bananas. Melt the chocolate chips and stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Using a spoon, spread the chocolate mixture over the bananas and roll the sprinkles. Place on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet.


Freeze for about an hour, then remove from the tray and place in a freezer bag. Now you can grab them and go! These don't last very long around here.


You can use chopped peanuts or crushed granola instead of sprinkles. Whatever suits your fancy.

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

If you're looking for a not-too-sweet cherry pie filling, look no further. I made this pie filling over the weekend and the family loved it! It's so simple, too. The hardest part was pitting the cherries. I don't have a cherry pitter. I just use the tip of my vegetable peeler to dig the pit out. Once the cherries are pitted, it's easy as, well, pie.

Here's what you need for a 9-inch pie:

4 cups pitted cherries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

In a saucepan, cook the cherries in the water for about 10 minutes, or until the cherries reach desired tenderness.


In a bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Add to the cherries. Cook until the mixture thickens. This only takes a few minutes.


Cool slightly before using. If you're not going to use the pie filling right away, store in the fridge for up to a week.

For more delicious recipes, visit Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Menu Plan Monday July 11-17

It's been hot, hot, hot down here in the Deep South. I've tried to stay cool in the kitchen, but it hasn't been easy. This week I'm trying to keep the oven off as much as possible.

Here's the plan:

Sunday
Sloppy joes, corn

Monday
Black bean burgers, fries

Tuesday
Grilled pizza

Wednesday
Spaghetti, grilled garlic bread

Thursday
Refried beans on corn tortillas

Friday
Ground turkey gyros on flatbread

Saturday
Philly cheese steaks, pasta salad

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Mondays.

Black Bean Burgers

Ever since I read Angie's post on making black bean burgers, I knew I wanted to try them. Go over to Angie's Healthy Living Blog and take a peek around. She's got some great recipes if you're trying to incorporate meatless meals into your meal planning.

The first time I made them, I followed the recipe closely because I had never made black bean burgers before. They were really, really good. The second time I made them, I played around a bit and liked them even better.

Here's what you need for my version:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 slices wheat bread, torn into pieces
2 mushrooms, diced
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teas minced garlic
2 TBSP fresh cilantro
1 egg
1 TBSP minced onion
1 TBSP McCormick's Grill Mates Hamburger Seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a bowl, mash the black beans. If you want a smooth texture, mash until smooth. If you want a little more hamburger-like texture, leave a few chunks of beans.

In a food processor, chop up the bread crumbs, veggies, and cilantro.


Add to the beans and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the egg, minced onion and seasoning. Here's the Hamburger Seasoning. It gives the burgers a grilled flavor which is amazing.


Add the egg mixture to the bean mixture, then add the cheese. Mix well by hand.


Form into patties (4 large ones) and place on a greased baking sheet. The bean mixture will be very loose, but don't worry. As it bakes, the burgers firm up. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, then carefully flip and bake for another 8-10 minutes.


Top with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy. Charles went all out with his - ketchup, mustard, mayo, tomatoes, pickles. I ate mine with steak sauce.

Today my baby turns 8!

I can't believe how quickly the years have flown by and that my sweet baby girl is now eight. She was an unexpected blessing, a strong-willed toddler who has developed into a caring, giving child. Oh, she still has her strong-willed days, but she's growing and learning how to be a godly young lady.


Happy Birthday, my sweet Princess.

Time to get the kids

The kids have spent a glorious 2 1/2 weeks at Grandma's. Today we go to retrieve them. It's been quiet and I've gotten a lot done. But I've missed 'em something terrible!

Do you think they had time to miss me?