Sloppy Joes - Middle School Culinary Throwdown

Sixth Grade Culinary Throwdown



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Will he cook? To be sure! Will he be a cook? I suspect not. His smile, for a least another year, is blinding bright, but it's a perfect match for an upbeat disposition, that as yet, shows no signs of teenage angst. He loves numbers and music and, having seen Wright's Falling Waters, concluded he would like to be an architect. His fallback plan, at least this year, is plasma physics. Zach is my oldest grandson. His love of food and cooking has convinced me that there is a recessive gene for food that scientists have yet to identify. There has to be an inherited component to this addiction we pass on to our children. Zach is wearing chef's whites, because food service providers in his school district sponsored a culinary "throwdown" and invited seventh graders to participate. Zach loves to cook and was one of the first of his classmates to register for the competition. The book of life will show their dishes took no prizes, but they won hearts and the team spirit award for their congeniality. That's my guy!


Our children and grandchildren learn to cook at an early age. It starts with pancakes on Saturday morning and they graduate to more involved cooking as they get older. This summer, I've worked on recipes the older grandchildren can make on their own while they're visiting with us. While the dishes are easy to prepare, they are also delicious and I hope the boys will have fun making them. I won't be posting most of them because they are so simple to make, that I'm afraid I'll offend you. You can be sure that those that make it to One Perfect Bite are "best of show" and will work well, especially for those of you who will be feeding teens this summer. Here's the first recipe I want to share with you.

Sloppy Joes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1-1/4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
8 sandwich buns, split

Directions:
1) Cook beef and onion in a large skillet set over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain.
2) Stir in ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard, chili powder and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.
3) Spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture onto each bun. Yield: 8 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Hawaiian Banana Bread












Two Years Ago Today: Morning Glory Petal Bread






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Sophisto Joes - The Teacher Cooks
Meatloaf with Tomato Relish - Family Spice
Taco Seasoned Ground Beef - Closet Cooking
Easy Sloppy Joes - Cooking Alliance
Sloppy Joes - Pioneer Woman Cooks
Crockpot Sloppy Joes - Jenn Cooks
Easy Sloppy Joes - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Sloppy Joes - Fabulously Frugal

Tuscan Olive Burgers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Every year, usually in May, I begin a whirlwind of kitchen activity that's triggered by the opening of the Build a Better Burger Contest. The economy and changes in advertising strategy rang the death knell for many of the big contests, but BBB is one of the few to survive with its award structure intact. Its $100K prize make it a plum for those who enjoy cooking competitions. While I've never won, I continue to try and went ahead and created two recipes for the contest this year, only to find that our revised holiday plans would have us out of the country at the time the contest would occur. I'm not really good about saving recipes for another day, so I though I'd share one of them with you today. Before I go into the multiple steps required to get this burger on the table, I want you to know that my favorite burger is simply dressed and charcoal broiled. Were it not for contests, I would never go through this rigmarole. While I may prefer my burgers naked, judges don't and that makes multi-step preparations a necessity for contests. If you analyze winning recipes, you can see the steps required to get to the competition. You'll need a sauce or spread for the rolls and layers of toppings that will make your well-seasoned burger unique. The folks at BBB maintain a huge database that you can scan for ideas if you are at all interested in entering the contest. I decided to make a Tuscan-style burger as my first entry this year. I had been working with tapenade and thought it would be a wonderful way to season my burgers. Once my theme was chosen, I rapidly moved through the toppings and spreads that I would use to accompany the patties. I decided to use a fennel-flavored mayonnaise and smoked cheese and proscuitto as toppers. To make the burgers even more singular, I made a fennel slaw to finish the package. In tonight's photo, I've used a simple olive salad in place of the fennel slaw. To be truthful, I had no fresh fennel in the house, so I took the line of least resistance and used olives which I have in abundance. This is a bold burger with strong flavors. If you like strongly flavored food, I think you'll love these. I have one caution to share with you. Be careful with the salt shaker. The tapenade and proscuitto are very salty and you won't need a lot of additional salt. Here's the recipe for those with adventuresome spirits.

Tuscan Olive Burgers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredient:
Patties
2 pounds ground chuck
1 cup green olive tapenade (recipe can be found here)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 slices smoked Provolone or Gouda cheese
12 slices proscuitto, lightly fried and warm
6 top-quality hamburger buns, split
6 leaves curly lettuce
Fennel Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
Fennel Coleslaw
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or to taste
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 lb fennel (about 1-1/2 large bulbs)

Directions:
1) Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
2) To make patties: Combine ground chuck with tapenade and black pepper, handling as little as possible. Shape into 6 bun-size patties. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
3) To make fennel mayonnaise: Combine ground fennel with mayonnaise. Mix well. Set aside.
4) To make fennel slaw: Whisk together all ingredients except fennel. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb, discarding stalks, and remove any discolored outer layers. Halve fennel through root end and discard core. Thinly slice fennel with a mandoline or other manual slicer. Toss fennel with enough dressing to coat, then season with salt and pepper.
5) To grill: Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Place patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. Place cheese slices on patties about 3 minutes before grilling is complete. Place buns, cut side down on outer edges of rack to toast lightly during last 2 minutes of grilling.
6) To assemble burgers. Spread top and bottom of burger buns with fennel mayonnaise. Cover bottom half of each bun with a lettuce leaf. Cover with a patty. Top each patty with two slices of warm proscuitto and about 2 tablespoons of fennel slaw. Add bun tops and serve. Yield: 6 burgers.







One Year Ago Today: Carne Asada














Two Years Ago Today: Lemony Buttermilk Bliss Bars








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Sonoran Hot Dog

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the type of recipe that will cause hardcore foodies to bristle and run for the exits. True, hot dogs are not the stuff of which their dreams are made, so I can't blame them. There are, however, occasions when nothing is quite as satisfying as good old-fashioned grub, so, I'll clear a path and hold the doors for them as they leave the room. I've been mulling what to make for Super Bowl Sunday and I've finally got a fix on what I want to serve. Last year, I did variations of those dishes I lovingly call Asian junk food. There were plates of egg rolls, crab rangoon, barbecued pork and dumplings, as well as bowls of fried noodles served with a warm apricot dipping sauce. This year, mainly because Chinese New Year is also barrelling down on us, I decided I'd head down Mexico way and do a Southwestern feast. Robb Walsh developed a recipe for Sonoran hot dogs that I've wanted to try for the longest time and I thought they'd be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday. I did a test run tonight and am comfortable enough with the results to share the recipe with you. This is a dish that is, for the most part, assembled rather than cooked. You'll have to heat the oven and a frying pan, but the time consuming elements of this dish can be purchased ready made and simply layered into warm and waiting buns. I have access to Mexican bakeries where bolillos, the Mexican version of a torpedo roll, can be purchased. They are a perfect bun for this outrageous hot dog. They are thick enough to hold ingredients without disintegrating, but small enough to prevent the filling from being upstaged by the bread. I realize that most of you don't have access to specialty bakeries, so the best route for you to take is to buy sturdy, but soft, buns that are approximately the same size as your hot dogs. As long as the hot dogs don't sit too long before serving you'll be fine. Good hot dogs are important and those that "answer to a higher authority" would be an excellent choice to use here. You will also find these much easier to make if you use a really thin-sliced bacon. Hassles with layering can be avoided if you have everything set to go before you begin cooking the hot dogs. The original recipe calls for pan grilling the wieners on a comal, the griddle on which tortillas are cooked. I cooked mine under the oven broiler to simplify things and contain the mess. It works perfectly, as long as you rotate the hot dogs so all their surfaces cook. I really think you'll like these. I hope you'll give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Sonoran Hot Dogs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Robb Walsh

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
Juice of 1 large lemon
8 all-beef wieners (fat ones work better than long ones)
8 slices extra-thin bacon
8 torpedo rolls or bolillos
1/2 cup warm refried beans
1 cup guacamole
1/2 cup grated jack or cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup Salsa Verde

Directions:
1) Mix mayonnaise, Tabasco, and lemon juice and put into a squeeze bottle.
2) Wrap hot dogs with bacon slices, covering completely. Grill or broil them, rolling hot dogs until bacon is crunchy on all sides, about 7 minutes.
3) Cut a pocket into buns to form a "boat" and toast them in oven or on a grill.
4) When hot dogs are cooked, divide beans and guacamole among eight rolls, spooning them inside pocket and spreading on either side of rolls. Spread cheese down the middle. Using tongs put one piping-hot bacon-wrapped hot dog into pocket of each roll. Top each with onions and tomatoes. Spread Salsa Verde across top. Apply mayonnaise blend in squiggles over tops of hot dogs. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chimichanga Dogs - Girlichef
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Seriously Scandinavian: Hot Dogs from the Cold North - Kalle Bergman's Honest Cooking
Chicago Red Hots - Food Nerd Ciao
Ultimate Bacon Cheese Dogs - Gourmet Mom on the Go
Spicy Mango-Pineapple Hot Dogs - Coconut and Lime
Coney Dogs - Real Mom Kitchen
Fancy Hot Dogs - Simply Recipes
Classic Chicago Hot Dog - Easy and Tasty Food

Hot dog lovers will want to see this feature in Bon Appetit: Global Hot Dog Guide

French Dip Sandwich

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful sandwich and a great way to finish leftover beef. The sauce in this recipe, developed by Rachael Ray , is unusually flavorful and while the original sandwich is made with deli-sliced beef, it translates well to the use of leftover meat, especially if rare beef is used. The main component of this sauce is condensed beef consomme. I know this will be off-putting to many of you, but I'm going to ask you to trust me. A bit of sherry or vinegar will change the nature of the consomme and make it a truly delicious base for a sauce. Most cooks shy away from condensed consomme because of its salty and very sweet taste. It's important to know, that when properly used, it can make an ordinary dish special. I use it quite often in competition recipes where the number and strength of ingredients can determine the success or failure of an entry. As a bit of an aside, in an amateur competition your fate is often determined by a single bite, so it is necessary that contest recipes be strongly flavored and that that first bite explode on the judges tongues. There is a downside to this. Many things become cloying or too rich for the palate with repeated bites. The judges will never know that. I'm not complaining mind you. I've won some wonderful prizes with recipes designed for judges rather than you. I just don't publish them here. I digress. I made two changes/additions to this recipe. I toasted the buns and spread them with a blue cheese butter which you can find here. Other than that, the recipe belongs to Rachael Ray. Here's how the sandwiches are made.

French Dip Sandwiches...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 cans beef consomme, undiluted
1-1/2 pounds thinly sliced rare beef
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
Optional: Blue cheese butter

Directions:
1) In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry and cook liquid out. Whisk in consomme in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.
2) Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with salt and black pepper. Set out 4 ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce, 4 dinner plates and 4 split and toasted sandwich rolls that have been spread with blue cheese butter.. To assemble, using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into loose au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Superb Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich - In the Kitchen with Kath
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Never Enough Thyme
Blue Cheese Steak Sandwich - One Perfect Bite
Hanger Steak Sandwich - Guilty Kitchen

Buttermilk Buns, Barbecue Sauce and the Remains of the Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Try though I might, I can't ignore the siren's song that screams, "Eat me!", each time the refrigerator door is opened. My leftovers are demanding attention. Given the number of meals that have been made lately, the status of the remains is really not too bad. The problem is that I'm not fond of leftovers and dislike repetition in my meals. Like it or not, those remains must be dealt with or tossed and I don't toss food. I had a goodly sized piece of roast pork that was sliced and warmed in a thick, but quick barbecue sauce. I made this everyday sauce from a few simple ingredients and served some of the warmed pork on homemade sandwich buns. The unused portion of the sauced pork and sandwich buns have been frozen to use for lunch on other days. Neither the sauce nor the buns are fancy and aren't meant for those seeking designer fare, but if you're looking for a fast and easy way to deal with leftover pork or beef, stay right where you are. This quick homemade barbecue sauce is my way of waging war on the condiments that clutter my refrigerator shelves. Bottles of sauce and salad dressings tend to gang up on me - much as cereal boxes do in the pantry - and to prevent that from happening I prefer to make as many of my own condiments and dressings as I can. While it sounds very dramatic, I also make my own sandwich buns. This is not a big deal. I can't find decent ones, so I prefer to make and freeze my own. I usually make three dozen at a time and that one-time effort holds us for several months. The recipe is super-simple but produces delicious rolls that you can shape as you please. Today's feature is a twofer that I think you'll enjoy. Here are the recipes for buttermilk buns and barbecue sauce.

Buttermilk Sandwich Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup buttermilk powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Combine water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Whisk in canola oil and egg. Add flour, buttermilk powder and salt. Mix on low-speed until dough forms a ball and pulls away from side of bowl, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2) Grease one or two large baking sheets. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 8 portions. Slap or roll each piece into desired shape and place on prepared pan leaving enough space between them to allow them to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
3) While dough rises preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Yield: 8 sandwich buns.

Everyday Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:
1) Combine ketchup, water, vinegar,Worcestershire sauce, sugar, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and minced garlic in a saucepan.
2) Place saucepan over medium heat and bring contents of pan to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens and is reduced by 1/4 in volume, about 5 minutes. Use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.

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Honey Yeast Rolls - Plain Chicken
Kaiser Rolls - One Perfect Bite
Torpedo Rolls - One Perfect Bite

Curried Egg Salad

Today's featured recipe....




and the day's distraction.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...How many people are needed to take a good photograph of curried egg salad? Obviously, more than are in our home. We really did try, but this was the best of the worst photos. I just couldn't overcome the muddy cast the curry shed on the egg salad. The photo of our youngest grandsons, who will be visiting in August, is a ruse designed to draw your eye away from the delicious, but unphotogenic, sandwich filling. I've been experimenting with making my own curry powder since I learned we'd be traveling to India this fall. Once I had a powder Bob and I both liked, I needed to test it in recipes where it could be used. Egg salad was the simplest and most logical place to start. This salad is mildly spiced and has a really smooth and creamy texture that is pleasing to the tongue. That last is food gibberish that means it is pleasant and tastes good. It receives additional flavor from the juice and pulp of a small shredded onion, and it is delicious spread on a grainy bread. More finely chopped, it would also be perfect for crustless tea sandwiches. I like to make and refrigerate the salad about an hour before I plan to serve it. That gives the flavors an opportunity to blend while the salad chills. This is a very simple recipe that is dependent on the quality of the ingredients used to assemble it. I recommend the use of a mild curry powder and a good mayonnaise. When I don't make my own mayonnaise, I use the reduced fat brand that is sold at Trader Joe's. If you love egg salad as much as I do, I know you'll love this one. Here's the recipe.

Curried Egg Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
8 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated suga
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 drops hot pepper sauce (i.e. Tabasco)Tabasco sauce
1 small onion, grated to yield 2 tablespoons puree
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine chopped eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper. hot pepper sauce, onion puree and parsley in a large bowl. Mix well. Cover and chill until shortly before serving time. Yield: 8 sandwich size servings.

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Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich - Life's Ambrosia
Apricot and Lavender Chicken Salad - Karista's Kitchen
Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich - Tasty Easy Healthy Green

Lamb and Feta Patties with Red Pepper Relish

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I so wish you could have joined us at the table tonight. It was a simple burger supper, but one so packed with flavor that I know you'd have enjoyed it. With an assist from a recipe that appeared in an old issue of Gourmet magazine, I was able to fashion Greek-inspired lamb patties with a pepper relish so delicious that I guarantee one bite would have your socks going up and down. Really. These burgers are that good. While I rarely add anything other than salt and pepper to beef burgers, I have no problem using cheese and herbs and spices to take other meat patties to new levels. Fortunately, I still had ground lamb that had been sent to me by the folks at Lava Lake Ranch and this gave me the opportunity to use their ground lamb in a worthy application. While there is some chopping involved, these burgers are very easy to do and can be assembled hours before serving. The relish can actually be made several days before you plan to use it. While I served our burgers on warm pita bread, good buns would also work here. I know you'll like these. Here's the recipe.

Lamb and Feta Patties with Red Pepper Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
For relish
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 orange or red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
For patties
1 slice firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1 scallion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1-1/4 pound ground lamb
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 pound feta, crumbled (3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1) To make relish: Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a 2-quart nonreactive heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Add remaining relish ingredients and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peppers and apple are tender, about 25 minutes.
2) To make patties: Preheat broiler. Pulse bread, scallion, garlic, and mint in a food processor until finely chopped. Add to lamb in a bowl along with egg, feta, salt, and pepper. Blend with your hands until just combined (do not overwork mixture, or patties will be tough). Form into 4-1/2 inch patties (about 1/2 inch thick).
3) To cook: Broil patties on oiled rack of a broiler pan 5 inches from heat until browned but still slightly pink in center, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve patties with red pepper relish and warm pita bread or buns. Yield: 4 patties.

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Chimichurri Turkey Burgers - One Perfect Bite
Green Curry Turkey Burgers - One Perfect Bite
Salmon Burgers - One Perfect Bite