Quarantine at Home Series: Pickle Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

      By now the restaurants and bars have opened back up with restricted service.  Some of you have even gotten out for some camping.  Just when you think you've gone thru all your recipes twice during this quarantine, alone comes something just a bit different.  Coming off a recent colonoscopy 4 days earlier, I craved something big.  EVERYONE loves grilled cheese and there are literally hundreds of recipes out there for whatever suits your tastes.  Some of my favorites are the Tillamook Cheese recipes.  I came across this one awhile back and wanted to try it.  Here we are, several months later and what better venue to test it.  Although any toasted bread will work just fine, Texas Toast is just that much bigger. Dinner, camping, picnic, or whenever......this one works well.

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 small sweet onion diced
1 can sloppy joe mix
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup diced dill pickle
4 slices of Texas Toast or toasted bread
sliced cheddar cheese
butter as needed

      In a large skillet, heat ground beef over medium heat with onion until soft and meat is separated and no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Stir in sloppy joe mix, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the dill pickles and mix to combine.   Transfer mix to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Sauté the beef, sloppy joe sauce, and pickles

      Wipe out skillet with paper towel.  Return skillet to medium heat.  Spread butter over half of each slice of bread and place in skillet, butter side down.

Assembling the sandwiches before frying to melt cheese

  

      Top with a little cheese and a generous amount of sloppy joe mix and even some additional cheese if you like.  Finish with another slice of bread, butter side up.  Cook for 1-2 minutes in the skillet till brown.  Flip over and repeat.  Serve with chips or even more pickles.

Plated finis

"Men only need two things, grilled cheese and sex" 

Emmy Rossum

(Quote awaiting spousal validation)

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