Warm weather

Well, it was absolutely gorgeous today. It was sunny and 64 degrees! When I got home from work today, I put on some sweats and took Maverick for a walk. I think we both needed it. He's completely exhausted now, poor thing. Well, at least I got a walk in today...because now that it's dark, the sky is getting cloudy and the winds are getting stronger. They're calling for thunderstorms, which is completely awesome because I LOVE thunderstorms.

Last night's dinner was a hit. I made Sloppy Hot Wing Joes. It's a Rachel Ray recipe. Fran got me her newest cookbook for Christmas - "Big Orange Book" or "BOB" as Rachel Ray calls it...I don't particularly care for her...but I love the food she makes.

Here's the recipe. (I cut everything in half since it was for the two of us.)
SLOPPY HOT WING JOES
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
1 carrot, peeled and chopped or grated
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/3 cup hot sauce >>>I would go on the heavy side with the hot sauce, it cuts down on the sweetness and I like hot food<<<
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
6 good quality burger rolls, split and toasted
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 large dill pickles, chopped

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and break it up with wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cook 7 to 8 minutes more. In a bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Pile sloppy Buffalo filling onto buns and top with blue cheese and chopped pickles.

Now, we don't like blue cheese, so we omitted that and used our own cheese. We also didn't put pickles on it, just didn't sound good to me. I made homefries with it and some green beans. It was a definite hit. I'll be making it again.

Tonight, I'm making a taco salad. I guess I better go get started before the storms start and we lose power!!! Peace-out girlscout!