sloppy joes

this is how the geek eats his sloppy joes. he's quite neat about it. i, on the other hand, like to eat them as open-faced piles of sloppy goodness.

i first made these for the geek back when we were dating. yes, i know- this is probably the most unromantic thing to make someone. it's messy and not at all sophisticated. elementary school cafeteria lunch anyone? it's probably the equivalent of showing up for a date wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt - totally not fashionable, but oh so comfortable.

but the geek is a man of simple tastes. up until these, he thought sloppy joe filling only came in a can. so upon his first bite, he was impressed. he loved it!

he still requests this on a regular basis and he's even learned to make it himself.

and despite my earlier elementary school lunch comment, i love these too. it's saucy, satisfying tastiness on a bun.

turkey meatballs

this recipe has three winning characteristics. first, it's super simple. second, it uses ingredients we usually have on hand. third, it's delicious (even mr. picky-pants himself is a fan). it's flavorful and a lot lighter than it's beefy counterpart. oh and bonus- it freezes really well.

we usually have these as 'grinders,' sandwiches with saucy meatballs, crusty bread, and a bit of provolone or mozzarella. these are also fantastic with pasta and sauce. add a simple side salad, and you've got yourself a balanced meal. if you'd rather have a side of fries or chips, i won't judge.

my poor baking pan. it's a trooper that has seen better days.