SLOPPY JOE THYME!

It is such an honor to have my friend "Chef E" participate in S365's never-ending quest for perfection between two slices of bread. A woman of many talents, Chef E presides over multiple blogs where her passions for poetry and culinary arts gracefully converge.

It is sheer genius that "E" would choose to share with us her very own spiced-up Sloppy Joe recipe, perfect for this time of year. As I read E's intro, I too was reminded of the canned Sloppy Joe mix Mom served in the 60s. Geeez, it's a wonder we're all alive. "Chef E" uses ingredients that make this "Joe" worthy of a much nobler name. Thank you Chef E

I have been playing around with fresh herbs the past few weeks in some of my recipes. The sign of spring comes and we all want to plant our herbs and flowers right? Then as always I wanted to plant a big summer sammie right into my mouth.

S365 also puts some good food in our path, so I offered to do a few posts for her. One thing I have not had since childhood is a Sloppy Joe. My mom made them from the can with ground beef. Since I moved to the north east from Texas I find the use beef, veal, and pork for their meatballs and such is more common; it has grown on me. So why not use the formula for the Joe's right?

The history of Sloppy Joe is not a clear path, but I assume when I was a kid mother's had began loving the idea of the little helpers around dinner time, saving precious time, or even weekends as they began taking on a job, added to their domestic duties- thanks to the likes of Hunt's and other processed food companies back in the 60's. Here is some information provided by a simple task of googling!

A Sloppy Joe is an American dish of ground beef, onions, sweetened tomato sauce or ketchup and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun. Commercially made sauces are also available. Textured vegetable protein may be used as a vegetarian substitute for the meat. Contradictory lore suggests that the Original Sloppy Joe Sandwich was invented at Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West, Florida, or by a cook named Joe at a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, as a variation of the popular "loose meat" sandwich (which does not contain tomato sauce).

My key ingredient in the recipe was taking six ounces of low fat ground beef, veal, and pork; add chopped fresh thyme, oil oil, chopped onion and garlic, salt/pepper to taste, two tablespoons smoked paprika, and mix well; let sit overnight. Brown and add 1 small can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup beef broth, and simmer on low for thirty minutes. Many sloppy joe recipes call for bell peppers, but I prefer my a bit on the spicy side, not sweet like many of the chili recipes in the mid-west to north east. Texas we like it hot!