On comfort food and Sloppy Joes

Whether for comfort in hard times or for reflection during the great times, sometimes we all need a reminder of times past. It is believed that the sense of smell is most closely linked to memory, which I believe is why certain foods become “comfort foods”. The smell of the food directly links the participant to a memory involving that meal.

For myself, comfort foods range anywhere from my dad’s Famous French Toast, to Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese dipped in applesauce, to hot spiced cider; each food evoking a series of different memories. Recently my cravings have been leaning towards those dishes that my mom would prepare on weeknights, with Sloppy Joes leading the way.

I have tried to figure out which memory(ies) are tied to Sloppy Joes, but have met little success. The only thing that comes to mind is sitting at our kitchen table, kicking my little legs that never would reach the ground, and happily smacking my lips as I devoured my plateful of messy goodness. I tend to have a photogenic memory, with only snapshots of past events. To remember the happy feeling of sitting with my family and just enjoying dinner is very comforting.

And so it came about that I found myself in the kitchen last night, preparing seven platefuls of Sloppy Joes for my dear friends of TND. They turned out delicious, sweet and tangy, and messy as ever. Paired with potato salad, a simple salad of greens, gourmet beer (honestly) and for dessert, warm brownies topped with vanilla ice cream, the dinner was more gourmet than I anticipated. And it certainly gave me new memories to associate with Sloppy Joes.

Enjoy.

Sloppy Joes
(adapted from Rachel Ray’s 30-Minute Meals)

1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb ground beef sirloin
1/4 C brown sugar
1 T steak seasoning blend
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 C tomato sauce
2 T tomato paste
4 large soft rolls, split and toasted

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat and add sugar-spice mixture to the meat. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium, add the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer.

Place each toasted bun bottom on its own plate and top with a large spoonful of Sloppy Joe mixture. Top with the toasted bun top and serve warm.

Yield: 4 servings