Turkey Joes

I made a conscious effort this week to not buy any new food, but to use up what I had. Great idea on a Sunday, not so great by Thursday when the cupboards are getting bare. My original idea was to make tacos but had none of the accompaniments. Turkey Joes it is.

I grew up eating the following Sloppy Joes:

Ground Beef
Ketchup
Mustard
Brown Sugar

Don't get me wrong, I love love love them like that, but they are a little sweet and are probably an acquired taste. Tonight's version was a modified recipe of Rachel Rays.

Brown some turkey/beef/whatever floats your boat. While browning, add some brown sugar and some steak seasoning. Once mostly cooked, add 1 chopped onion and one chopped red pepper. Let that cook for a little bit, then add some vinegar (I used balsamic, it was closest to the stove) & worcestershire sauce to taste. Cook for a minute or two, then add a can of tomato sauce and a can of diced tomatoes. Simmer until thickened. The original recipe mentioned something about toasted buns, but that's too fancy for a weeknight.

They turned out yummy...a little sweet, tangy and hot.

Clementine Votives

It's clementine season! I saw this cute votive at apartment therapy and had to try it. Just cut a clementine in half across the center and gently peel out the flesh without tearing the pith. You should end up with a long wick sticking up from the bottom. If you have no wick, feed that clementine to your kids and start again. Fill the bottom with about a teaspoon of olive oil and let it soak for a minute while you cut a cute shape in the top half with a paring knife. Alternatively, you could cheat and use a tiny cookie cutter for a less rustic look. Now, light the wick and place the top back onto your clementine. You gotta love a 5 minute craft!