Sloppy Joes With Peas and Tater Tots.

First of all, I apologize for my absence over these last few days.  I went back home to Florida for a good old-fashioned family visit and had great plans of scheduling several non-recipe posts to publish during my absence – plans that, when the rubber met the road, were not carried out with the dignity they commanded.  Or carried out at all, for that matter!

However, I can assure you I am back in fine form this week, ready and willing to roll up my sleeves and get back into the kitchen!

For my first dinner back at home, I decided to do one of my favorite comfort meals – sloppy Joes with English peas and tater tots.  (LeeLee had his sloppy Joe atop a hot-dog bun; I eschewed the bun in favor of more filling.)

First off, I put the tater tots into the oven to cook for 20 minutes.  While they baked, I sprayed a pan with Pam and added a bag of ground “beef,” letting it heat up for a minute or two.  Once everything was beginning to sizzle, I added a jar of pizza sauce and a can of sliced mushrooms and mixed the sloppy Joes until everything was nicely blended.  Then, all it took was 15 minutes or so on Medium-Low, with a quick stir every so often.

The peas were simpler still – out of the can and into the pot they went, with a dose of black pepper for good measure.  They simmered at Low, barely requiring a stir, until the tater tots were baked through.

And then, just like that, dinner was ready!  We devoured the tots and peas, and there was just enough of the Joes left for lunch tomorrow.  A success, in my book!

:)