CHOMPY JOES (SLOPPY JOES)

I know everyone remembers eating Sloppy Joes as a child.  Even to this day it is still one of my absolute favorite meals.  They are great if you are cooking on a budget, pressed for time, or you are a novice in the kitchen and you feel like impressing that special someone with a little splash of nostalgic fun thrown into the meal.  As a college student I cook Sloppy Joes one to two times a month.  The best part about Sloppy Joes, they are a great leftover food.  One night of cooking gives me two, maybe three days of lunch leftover!  You can not ask for a better deal as a college student than a delectable leftover lunch.

Ingredients:  (Measurements will vary due to how many mouths will be #chomping)

• 1lb. of 80/20 ground chuck
• ½-1 cup of ketchup (the more the messier)
• 1 Tbs. of yellow mustard
• ¼ of brown sugar  (more if you like your SJ sweeter)
• ¼ red bell pepper
• ¼ chopped white onion
• sliced pickles
• American cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start by browning all of your hamburger meat.  You will want it to be separated into small crumbles.  Now stir in you peppers an onion. Next, salt and pepper the hamburger meat to your desired flavor.  (Too much salt with cut the sweetness of the ketchup).  Once the meat is cooked drain out the majority of the grease.  Leave as little as possible.  Put your heat on low and add ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar.

Place the amazing mess of SLOPPY JOE onto your choice of white or wheat hamburger bun, throw on a slice of your favorite cheese, a couple of pickle slices, and no I did not forget, SRIRACHA, and your SLOPPY JOE has been transformed into a CHOMPY JOE!!!  Enjoy.

Anaheim Avocado Burger

The #chefchomp original Anaheim Avacado Burger is a game-day classic for my friends and I.  Come to think of it, cooking on NFL Sunday might be the only reasons I have friends, anyways, let’s get started on these burgers!

Grocery list:  Start off with the main ingredient Beef!  I usually use a combination of ground chuck and ground sirloin but it all comes down to preference.  Now we can head on over to the produce section and snag a couple Anaheim Peppers.  These mild chili peppers have a long and slender body but pack enough punch to really help the burger pop!  Next up, White Onions.  Usually I use red onions to top my burgers but we will be chopping the onions and peppers to mix into our patties.  For our Toppings grab a ripe Avocado, Roma Tomatoes, and Green Leaf Lettuce.

Side Note:  Avocados are a super food, meaning they are absolutely great for you!  Although, peeling one can be a little tricky.  Grab a sharp knife, stand the avocado vertical and slowly circle the knife all the way around the avocado.  Delicately pull the two halves apart and you will expose the seed.  Take your knife and carefully tap the blade into the seed and you will be able to pull it right out very easily.   Take a spoon following the curves of the avocado to pop out the meat of the avocado in one whole piece.   Now back to the burgers!

First get your charcoal lit and cooking.  Gas grills work just as well but you can’t beat the taste of a #chefchomp Anaheim Avocado burger on a charcoal grill.  Second, chop your peppers and onions to about a quarter inch size.  Combine your peppers, onions, and beef into a bowl and throw in your preferred seasonings.  I’m going to use Adobo, black ground pepper, pinch of salt, and top the patty with some sesame seeds, now you are ready to begin constructing your patties.  Hopefully your charcoal is fully coated with grey ash and you can see the embers glowing.  Place your patties around grill and cook them to the desired gauge.  I enjoy my burgers cooked medium, warm all the way through with a slightly pink center.

While the burgers are on the grill you can prepare your sides.  Can’t go wrong with French fries but on this particular occasion I went with some zesty pasta salad.  Cole slaw, baked beans, or even simple potato chips compliment this meal very well.

About two minutes before the patties are ready to come off I place my cheese and crustini bun on the grill.  Yeah I said cheese! Muenster cheese is my personal favorite for this dish.  Finally we get to pull them off!  To those of you who have read the #chefchomp “Essentials” list you will know that any burger/sandwich #chefchomp approved will have SRIRACHA.  This time I will take two tablespoons of each mix them together and smear that spicy goodness on both top and bottom of the crustini.  Top your burger with the tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce and you have completed the #chefchomp Anaheim Avocado Burger, time to get your #chompon, #chompchomp!

The Essentials

 

The Essentials

 

            Before we get to the skillets, grills, ovens, and griddles we have got to go over the “Essentials” required to begin the cooking madness of #chefchomp. 

Seasonings:  Of course how you season your food is personal preference, but I’m going to give you some ideas and let you in on what I keep in my kitchen. 

Adobo is a blend of latino seasonings I find “Essential” to any seasoning cabinet.  Now technically it is a latino seasoning but I use it in any style of cuisine from grilled steaks, chicken and rice, as well as some of the tastiest venison fajitas one can create.  That recipe will come in blogs to come.  Adobo also comes with pepper, low sodium, mild, as well as hot for those who need a little more diversity.

Black Pepper, you can never have enough black pepper!  There is not one meal I create without it.  Veggies, meats, sauces, no matter what it is it will be christened with it making it another #chefchomp “Essential.”

Olive Oil, is a healthy alternative to Crisco, butter, vegetable oil, canola oil and many other cooking fats, making it number three on the #chefchomp “Essentials.”  Wither you are looking for a simple seared ahi-tuna, chicken and steak on the grill, or a tossed squash and zucchini medley Olive Oil is sure to make the flavors pop without leaving a thick layer of film on the food creation.

Lime and Lemon Juice, I prefer squeezing natures’ own citrusy fruits right out of the rind but some prefer to keep their cuts and eyes from burning and a simple container will suffice.  These #chefchomp “Essentials,” are great for adding an extra zing to any cuisine.  They also achieve great success in cutting a sugar and fats. 

Last but certainly not lest SRIRACHA, THE most essential condiment to any meal,  (I literally put it on my pickles), SRIRACHA is an Asian chili sauce.  Some might argue the great Thai deity Pho Sop created it to go with the tasty rice the goddess allowed the people to harvest. If you are not into folklore than you are in luck but once you taste this divine sauce you will not be far from believing.  Something this sublime can only be…. You’ve got it!!! The divine #chefchomp “Essential.” 

I look forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting our #chompon, hope you all come back!