Lazy Joe Sliders
The night that I tested this recipe for the first time Mike had offered to buy me dinner earlier in the evening. He left our apartment around 3:00 pm, headlamp in hand, to go for a long run on the rail trail about a half hour away from where we live. I knew it would be a late night for him. He texted me around 6:00 pm to tell me as much. He also admitted that he was pretty cramped up and that he wouldn’t be back to the car until about 9:00 pm. I will admit I was initially slightly excited because I was just sitting down to watch Hocus Pocus after an afternoon filled with housework when he texted me. But because I didn’t want him to be out in the woods in the dark all cramped up with no water, I went to pick him up where he was and bring him back to his car. To thank me he asked if he could buy me dinner on the way home. I said no thank you, because I was really excited to try this new recipe.
He then asked me what I was planning on making, and I told him the ingredients. It’s not uncommon for him to make a funny face or seriously question what in the heck I’m thinking. This time was no exception. “No thanks,” he said. “That sounds like something you would put on something, not something you would eat outright.” As is often the case, I couldn’t be discouraged. I rushed right home, got out my pot, and started browning up some beef!
I was downstairs eating a bowl full of this stuff when he entered the room and I forced him to try some. Despite all the funny faces and mock complaints, he’s always such a good sport and he always tries what I make. Well, he LOVED it! Kale and all. Yes, I know. Here I go, shoving kale where it doesn’t belong YET again. “You basically created a healthier version of a sloppy Joe,” he said. In the words of Gru: “LIGHT BULB.”
These aren’t sloppy Joes. Or if they are, they sure aren’t the sloppy Joes I used to eat growing up. I used to loathe sloppy Joes. And perhaps I still do. I haven’t had one in probably 15 years, and that’s totally fine with me. Maybe because my mom used to make sloppy Joes with ground turkey. Maybe because she used to toast the buns. Both things I’m not a huge HUGE fan of to this day. I’m not saying my mom ruined sloppy Joes for me. But if she ever gave us a choice between pierogies or sloppy Joes, it was no contest. Pierogies ALL DAY.
But now I’m not so sure. Now maybe I would eat my version of sloppy Joes before I would eat pierogies. Actually, I’m pretty sure I would. Except around here, we call this recipe “Lazy Josies.” I won’t get in to the why here. That’s a story for another time!
Lazy Joe Sliders
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Arrange the sliced potatoes in a single layer on the sheet pan and brush the tops with the melted ghee. Season to taste with sea salt and bake at 400° F for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.
- While the potatoes are baking, add the ground beef to a large pot over medium heat and season with sea salt to taste. Use a spatula to break up and stir.
- When the beef has browned completely, add the kale and stir to combine. Add the marinara sauce, stir to combine, and simmer on low until the potatoes are done cooking.
- Serve the beef mixture over the potatoes and enjoy hot!
