Recipe Station

Awaken your taste buds!  This is a family favorite we all have enjoyed.

With several seasonings and a variety of vegetables, you can't go wrong with this home cooked meal.

Shopping List:

For the Sloppy Joes:

6 Sesame buns (or your choice of buns)

3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Small handful (about 1/4 cup) raisins

Kosher salt

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup half-and-half

Small handful fresh cilantro (soft stems included)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 serrano chile pepper (don't chop it unless you like things spicy!)

1 large white onion, finely diced

For the Sauce:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 serrano chile pepper, seeded and minced

1 15 -ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Let's start cooking!

Start by preparing the sloppy joes: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the raisins and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the raisins swell up. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Making the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chile pepper, ginger, garlic and cook for about 1 minute until the ginger and garlic brown. Add the paparika and garam masala and cook 30 seconds. Add 1 cup water, stir and bring to a boil. Add the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add in the onion and bell pepper (mm, love the smell of this mixture)and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and let sizzle about 10 seconds, then Add the chile pepper and cook 2 more minutes, seasoning with salt. Add the turkey, (be sure to break up the big lumps), and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the prepared sauce to the turkey-and-onion mixture in the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.

Remove the whole chile pepper (unless you want to eat it, like my dad does!) and stir in the honey, half-and-half, and raisins. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the cilantro right before serving.

Toast the buns and fill with the sloppy joe mixture. Enjoy!

How do you make sloppy joe's?  Leave a comment below and like our page to get regular recipe updates!