Fooled 'Ya Sloppy Joes, Everyday Peas with Attitude and Birthday Frosted Brownies

Today our oldest daughter turned five.  The day started with a breakfast cupcake (carrot breakfast muffins with frosting) topped with a candle.  Since she was the birthday girl, she got to choose her birthday supper.  She picked sloppy joes, peas and brownies.  Hmmmm, how can I “Bar Wooden Spoon”-ize this meal into something healthful  and different.  

First, I started with the sloppy joes.  After returning from a weeklong vacation in Mexico, the produce drawer in my refrigerator had vegetables screaming for attention before they spoil.  So, I turned a primarily meat-based entrée into a beautiful combination of lean meat and vegetables.  A vegetable side dish would simply be an added bonus!  Fooled 'Ya Sloppy Joes won't tell anyone that they're healthy!

  

The birthday girl’s favorite vegetable is peas – she has even eaten them for breakfast with orange juice.  To give frozen peas a little flavor, I added onions and garlic.  Nothing too fancy – just a little attitude. 

Brownies is our family’s favorite dessert.  We typically only have un-frosted brownies in our house as most recipes I come across slather the brownies with fat laden goo until the brownie is unrecognizable.  Birthday Frosted Brownies uses a simple frosting that goes on smooth onto warm brownies (no need to wait for them to cool!) and only enhances the cocoa flavor of the brownie.  And only 3 tablespoons of butter is used to make this frosting rich (and a secret ingredient to make the frosting even sweeter)– leave your lard and shortening for the church cookbook recipes. 

Fooled ‘Ya Sloppy Joes

Serves 8

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped celery

1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrots

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds extra lean ground beef

1-1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces white button mushrooms, finely chopped

Tabasco Sauce (optional; to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Kaiser Rolls, split

Add olive oil to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add celery, carrots, green pepper, and onion.  Cook until the vegetables begin to get soft.  Add garlic.  Push vegetables to one side of the skillet.   Add ground beef to the other side of the skillet.  Break up the meat to crumble.  Cook until the meat starts to brown.  Combine the meat and vegetables.  Continue to cook until the meat is browned through and no longer pink.   

Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato Tabasco if desired.

Add the mushrooms and simmer 5 more minutes or until heated through. 

Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, brown the cut sides of the rolls.  Spoon meat mixture over the rolls and serve hot. 

Everyday Peas with Attitude

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 ounces frozen green peas

1 tablespoon vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook about 5 minutes. Add frozen peas, and stir in broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until the peas are tender, about 10 minutes.

Birthday Frosted Brownies

Serves 9

Brownies:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 8x8-inch baking sheet with 2 strips of parchment paper (making a cross) and hanging over the ends slightly.  Coat with cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, egg substitute, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl, combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup powdered sugar.  Do not add more liquid, continue stirring until the powdered sugar is absorbed.  Frost brownies while they are still warm.  Once cooled, using the “tails” of the parchment paper, lift the brownies from the pan and cut.