Sheridan and Allen.

Sloppy Joes were almost ruined for me by school lunches. Sloppy Joe days were never good days. The acrid smell filled the hallways. The bright orange grease soaked into everything it touched, whether it was a mealy bun or whatever sweater I had worn that day. I felt like it was an excuse to use up whatever hamburger was left over from the (american) chop suey two days before. I remember seeing Manwich commercials, and thinking that those looked so much better than what the school offered, but whenever I asked my Mom about them in the store she dismissed them. I think she was suspicious of meat in a can, but she  always let us get vienna sausages so there goes that theory.

The first time I made real, honest to goodness Sloppy Joes I fell a little bit in love. I also felt like I had been robbed of something wonderful as a child. But there’s time to make up for it. Here’s my version.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 green pepper – diced
• 1 small onion – diced
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off the fat.

Add in the green pepper and the onion and stir to combine. Let it cook for a minute or so, and then add 1/2 cup of water. Mix in the garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, mustard, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire sauce along with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and season as necessary.

To serve, split fresh rolls and heap spoonfuls on at least one side. For additional decadence, put a slice of provolone cheese on the roll before you cover it with the Sloppy Joe mix. You can try to eat it with your hands, but it will be, wait for it… sloppy.

I think Allen put it best. When I made this for dinner, he said “Before this, you couldn’t have convinced me that fresh pasta made a difference. But this is really good!” And surprisingly enough, it was also easy. Perhaps too easy.

Giada does it right. I’m just keeping this recipe here for posterity.

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 egg yolks
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Put the flours, the egg yolks, and the salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the machine running, drizzle in the oil. Then do the same with 1/2 cup or so of water. Essentially you want to add the water slowly until the dough forms a ball in the food processor. It’s okay to add more water if the dough isn’t coming together. If the dough looks too dry, it needs more water. Add it a bit at a time.

Pull the dough out and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead it for 5 minutes or so. Place it in a covered bowl and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to make the pasta, cut the dough into quarters and shape them into long flat pieces before running them through the pasta roller.

Because sometimes comfort food needs to be on the menu. Winters are cold, and as much as I try to cook whole, clean foods, sometimes I have to give in, and the siren’s song of the Tater Tot is hard to resist.

• 1 package of Tater Tots – 32 oz
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion – chopped
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (divided)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a casserole dish by spraying it with olive oil. I used a 2.5 quart round casserole dish, but you could also use a 13 x 9 pan.

Place 25 tater tots in the bottom of the casserole and bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. They need to be soft enough so that you can smash them into a layer that covers the bottom of the dish.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and the onion in a skillet. Drain and discard the grease. Season with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine the milks, and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Add the ground beef to the casserole dish and spread to cover the layer of smashed tater tots. Then pour the cheese soup mixture over the beef, and cover the cheese mixture with the rest of the tater tots. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of the tater tots.

Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the tater tots are crispy on top. This should take 30-40 minutes.