Sloppy Joe Bites

Original Recipe HERE

This is a rare recipe that got rave reviews from *J*.  He ate two of them and asked for a third, and the following night he was even excited about leftovers.  The others liked them, too, but I barely paid attention to their reactions because I was busy picking my jaw up off the floor.

I made the from-scratch sloppy joe mixture since cracking open a can of the stuff would resurrect childhood memories better left in the past.  I used Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits, and the ratio of biscuit to joe wasn't balanced.  Next time I'll use smaller biscuits or maybe the flaky kind.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon minced onion

1 Tablespoon paprika [I did 1/2 smoked and 1/2 regular]

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

6 to 8 ounces water

1 Tablespoon mustard

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 canisters (8 or 10 count each) canned biscuits

1 to 2 cups shredded cheese [I used cheddar]

Directions

(1) Mix together brown sugar, minced onion, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

(2) In a large skillet, brown the beef.

(3) Add tomato sauce, 6-8 ounces of water, mustard, cider vinegar, and spice mixture.  Stir to combine; simmer 5-10 minutes. 

(4) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease muffin tins.

(5) Flatten or roll out biscuits.  Press each into a muffin well.

(6) Fill biscuits with sloppy joe mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

(7) Bake 10-12 minutes.

Kid Participation: 

* Flatten biscuits

* Put biscuits into muffin wells

* Scoop in sloppy joe mixture

* Sprinkle cheese

Coconut Garlic Chicken

Original Recipe HERE

I was really skeptical about this recipe - how could coconut, garlic, and vinegar come together and yield anything but nastiness?  But the original poster promised it was good, so I was game to try.

The taste was interesting but better than expected.  Everyone in the family liked the sauce; kids asked for several helpings of it over the rice.  I should've cooked and shredded the chicken ahead of time and just added it to the sauce as it thickened up; leaving it in pieces meant the kids could easily pick them out.

I will cut the vinegar amount by half next time (original amounts of everything are listed below).  Also, I'd probably add some sliced green onions for garnish and taste.  My sauce never thickened, so expect it to look watery.  Precooking and shredding the chicken would make throwing this dish together super quick and give the sauce a bit more substance.

 

Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced small
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 can (14-15oz) light coconut milk
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro [optional; I did not use]
salt & pepper to taste
rice or other grain for serving

 

Directions
(1) Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet.
(2) Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  Add to skillet; saute about 2 minutes.
(3) Add vinegar and garlic to pan.  Cook until most liquid has cooked off.
(4) Add coconut milk.
(5) Turn heat ot medium.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes or until liquid thickens and chicken is cooked through.
(6) Season with additional salt and pepper.  Top with cilantro and serve over rice or grains.

Kid Participation: None.