Well I just have to say that this has been the busiest month that I can recall…I think I’m finally able to settle down a little this week and get back to what I love doing! Cooking & chatting with all of you! 
I couldn’t think of a better way to kickstart this week than with a post for The Secret Recipe Club!
It really is worth it to join onto the waiting list. It’s a great way to get introduced to wonderful blogs and their bloggers and a chance to try many, many delicious recipes along the way!
This month I was assigned to Our Eating Habits, owned and operated by Jamie. From what I gather Jamie is a loving mother & wife from Canada, who loves food and eating only what’s tasty, she’s not a fan of wasting calories on bad food. Something that I think you’ll find true just by running down the first page of Jamie’s blog and stumbling on to Root Beer Float Cake….mmm!!! Since I’m trying to get into my honeymoon body, eating better has been part of my plan so I decided to skip the cake, as much as my tummy was protesting, I did find a wonderful homemade Sloppy Joe recipe to enjoy!
I got some hilarious photos that I couldn't pass up showing. This one looked just like a mouth and I couldn't resist adding some eyes.
I made mine a Not So Sloppy Joe, using the roll like a pocket & stuffing it full of delicious ground chicken sloppy joes. Instead of condensed tomato soup I used fresh tomatoes and let them simmer for a short time with some leeks and garlic. For the most part I use what I’ve got in my house and luckily I had a ton of fresh tomatoes. Perfect!
Not So Sloppy Joes
adapted from Our Eating Habits
Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 vine tomatoes, skins removed, chopped, reserving juice as well
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 sesame or poppy seed rolls, uncut
Preparation
Prepare the rolls by making a 2-3″ slit on one side of the roll, using that slit take out some of the “guts” of the bread using your fingers, careful not to rip the rolls. Set aside until needed.
Brown the ground chicken in a large pan over medium- high heat. Remove the chicken and set aside until needed. Add the olive oil and leeks and let saute for about 5 minutes until beginning to brown then add the garlic and saute for another 1 minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice. Let cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and able to be mashed. Carefully mash down the tomatoes so it’s more of a sauce. Then add your ketchup, dijon mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt & garlic powder. Mix well and let come to a simmer, add the browned ground chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and coat the chicken.
Carefully, using a tablespoon fill the rolls with the Sloppy Joe meat & sauce. Serve & enjoy!
oh my god those look amazing! i need to make these!
The pocketed roll is such a good idea! it would make it so much easier for kids to eat without making such a huge mess.
Looks amazing! Excellent job. You picked a great recipe for SRC
So yummy!
Nothing better than a good, old-fashioned, Sloppy Joe!
Why have I waited so long to make sloppy joes!! These have me drooling!!
I think I have to check out this waiting list thing. Lacy, these look delicious–I haven’t had a sloppy joe in years, but I love the idea of making them with chicken instead of beef.
These joe’s sure do look tasty. Ha-I love the one with the eyes. I like this version with the ground chicken. Leaner meats if prepared properly can still have great taste and no one misses the fat. Glad you hooked up with SRC, I am sure you will enjoy it!
I was just thinking the other day about sloppy joe’s. The last time I tried it with my family, they were not impressed. Your version looks really good though. I might just make it just for myself!
LOVE the eyes on the joe, lol
These look delicious!
Welcome to SRC! Great post to start off with, googly eyes included!
What a fabulous meal this would make for Lacy! I love the first picture.
My son used to call Sloppy Joe’s, “Sloppy Ho’s”. Just thought I’d share. It was sort of cute in a hilarious sort of bad kind of way.
These look DIVINE! Sloppy or not!
Haha!! Sloppy hos…love it!
looks delicious
The googly eyed not-so-sloppy-joes are just too cute! I love the flavor of joes but hate the slop so your solution sounds like a winner to me
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I love sloppy joes, and if they aren’t sloppy, that would be great! These look delicious. I will be making these soon!
These look amazing! I just pinned them because I’m also trying to get a better body going on here, so healthy recipes are what I’m after right now. Thanks so much for sharing – great pick for SRC!
I will take 5 please!
These look delicious! Welcome to the SRC! =o)
Thanks Erin! Love SRC! So glad I put myself on the wait list!
Mmm…sloppy joe’s so good! Love how you changed it to chicken to make it a bit healthier, I will have to try that next time I make them! Very cute pictures, glad you enjoyed my blog
It was a wonderful recipe! I have it bookmarked (along with many others) to try again!