Sloppy Joes – Gluten Free Filling

Ok, the entire time I was making this recipe, I was singing Adam Sandler’s Lunch Lady Land. It was inevitable. Sloppy Joes, are the essential school lunch room meal. A big savory sandwich, where messy is key. This dish brought back some closer memories for me. When my sister was little, she used to be a very selective eater.  At home, we normally ate Indian food and while growing up, eating American food was a treat. We used to want pizza, pasta, hamburgers and all the foods that we normally saw our peer eating. I remember her coming home one day and asking mom why she didn’t make sloppy joes. At this point, I was really getting into cooking (I was about 12 years old at the time). I liked making a variety of foods (even if it was all canned and store-bought). So, my mother and I went to the grocery store and bought a can of sloppy joe filling and some rolls. I felt grand opening up the can of sloppy joe filling and heating it up. I toasted the rolls and placed the sloppy joe filling on top. Then I watched as my sister devoured the whole thing! She really enjoyed it (I love cooking for my sister!) So, I think I will forever associate this dish with that memory.

Today, I try not to use many prepared/canned foods. The sodium content alone in many of the foods, makes me shudder. After not having this dish in such a long time, I decided to have a go at making this filling. It turned out wonderfully with enough that I was able to freeze some for the future. I made these with some homemade rolls (recipe tomorrow) and my husband and I were set for a feast! I can’t wait to see my sister again and maybe make this recipe for her. Her tastes have refined since she was little but I am sure she would be definitely up for some Sloppy Joes! I love you Sohana!

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 lbs ground beef

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/3 cup Heinz Ketchup (Heinz is Gluten Free according to website)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. In a large pan, saute onions and brown sugar until onions start to brown.
2. Add bell pepper and cook with onions until peppers are softened
3. In a separate skillet, brown beef, breaking it up as best as possible.
4. Drain grease from beef and add beef to onions and peppers mixture
5. Add remaining ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with Homemade Rolls.

Gluten Sensitivity: Serve with Gluten Free Hamburger Rolls, Cornbread (made with rice flour instead of all-purpose flour) or over rice.