Crunk BBQ Sloppy Toms...Minus the Crunk

Last week, I shared my plan to overcome my difficulties cooking in the kitchen by writing about it.  Here goes:

Okay, guys, I am here.  In the bad place.

I have tried to do what we do for children who have trouble following the routine at school- I have looked at my environment, and made some changes to make being here more comfortable and less stressful. 

First, I brought a small picture and a candle in, and set them up on her stool:  Cory Bird's perch.


Music that was significant to her comforts me.   So as much as I thought it would hurt, I have some My Chemical Romance playing.  Seriously, guys, she could be in the next room...comfort and devestation are duking it out on that one.

I am thinking that my trusty cutting board and chefs knife are going to have to be replaced.  Every time I look at them or hold the knife in my hand, there are issues.

Okay, back to cooking.


Why sloppy toms?  10 minutes tops.  Time is of the essence here.  I need to get in and out as quickly as possible.
 I love making them with whiskey, but I was too tired to go buy any, and since I only use it to cook with, I didn't have any on hand.

Crunk BBQ Sloppy Toms:

1 1b ground turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
your fav grill seasoning to taste
1/2 palmful Emeril's Essence
splash or two of whiskey (or chicken stock)
2 TBS tomato paste
Worchestire sauce
your fav BBQ (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

• Brown the ground turkey...remember the flavor comes from being nice and brown...that's where the carmalization takes place. 
•  Season with your favorite grill seasoning and the Emeril's Essence, which will give it a little kick.  Use less than 1/2 palmful for less kick, and more if you like it spicy.
• Add your chopped onion and red pepper.  (Do not let your son talk you into leaving out the red pepper...they are yummy, and he needs as many vegetables as he can get).
• Cook veggies in with turkey until soften.  You should be developing a lovely browned, stuck on substance on the bottom of your saucepan.  Do not despair -this is where you will get your flavor.
• Now we shall deglaze.  This is where the liquor comes in.  Go around your pan twice with healthy splashes.  You can use chicken stock, if you prefer.  I do not prefer- the whiskey makes for a delicious tangy flavor.  But, I was too tired to go buy it, so tonight it was plain old chicken stock, which will serve the purpose.  To deglaze the pan, take a wooden spoon and begin frantically scraping all the stuck on substance from the bottom of your pan.  The whiskey or chicken stock will cook down until it is practically gone.  Don't worry, the alcohol burns off in the cooking process...I am not trying to get my 10 year old slap happy.
• Once you have everything off the bottom of the pan, and your deglazing liquid is cooked down, add your 2 TBS of tomato paste.  This will be the base for your sauce. 
• Go ahead and add a couple splashes of Worchestire.  Taste, and decide if you need more.  I am a taste-as-I-go cook.  Cory used to be my quality control girl.  I miss her in the kitchen so very much.
• Last of all, add your fav BBQ sauce until your sloppy toms are the consistency you prefer.  We like ours saucy, baby.

Pile the meat sauce onto toasted buns...yum.  Extra healthy points if they are wheat instead of white.  We had white buns tonight (I am hanging my head in shame).
We ate our sloppy toms with raw snap peas, and ranch for dipping.
Moderately healthy, no?

Thank you, whomever may be reading, for giving me another reason to be in the kitchen and having someone to be accountable to, when I say I'm going to try to cook more.  This has been a great distraction.
Love,
Nicole

p.s.  Make the whiskey BBQ ones, they are the BOMB!