Sloppy Toms

After having turkey sloppy joes several times, Paul finally proposed a name changed for this meal. We quickly tossed some funny names around and decided on Sloppy Toms. Why not? Tom Turkey. Get it?

Okay well anyways. I wanted to share this recipe for a few reasons. One, sloppy joes are tasty, which I learned this fairly recently. My dad wasn't a fan, soooo this wasn't a meal that showed up on our menu in my childhood home. Two, turkey is a great substitute for those of us attempting to be healthy. Three, I love the way Rachel Ray wrote this recipe directly to a kid chef. This part is hard to describe so just take a look see.

Sloppy Toms

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 package, 1 1/3 pounds, ground turkey breast or lean ground turkey
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning or Mrs. Dash seasoning for poultry)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup tomato sauce,( 8- ounce) can
• 4 buns

Have a GH (grown helper) place a big skillet over medium high heat for you. Use some kitchen scissors to cut the turkey package open. Add some extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a nice, slow stream. Have the GH add the ground turkey to the pan, in case it spatters. Break the turkey up with a big wooden spoon as it starts to cook. If anyone touches the raw turkey, they should go wash their hands.

If you are a really good chopper, using a small, sharp knife chop up some red onion. Remember when you are chopping to keep the fingers that are not holding the knife all tucked in and curled under. Have a GH help you. You need half a red onion chopped up small. Pull the seeds and white membrane and the top out of a half red bell pepper and chop that up small too. Add the veggies to the cooking meat and stir it all together.

Next, mix in a small bowl: grill seasoning blend, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and the tomato sauce. This will make your special sauce. When all the ingredients are combined, pour the sauce evenly over the meat and stir everything together really well. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook the sloppy mixture for 10 minutes. Blow on a spoonful until cool and taste it to see if you need to adjust the seasoning.

Have the GH help you serve. Place a bun bottom on a plate. Use a big ice cream scoop to get a pile of sloppy meat onto the bun. Put bun top in place.

 
Keep in mind that getting kids involved with cooking will help them understand where food comes from and how its made. Hey who doesn't want their kids to appreciate the hard work that is put into the meals made for them?

This recipe is great to make with your kids, but is also just delicious in itself. Skip the calories and still get the sloppy goodness of this sandwich.