It's National Sloppy Joe Day❗

Today we celebrate one of America's favorite "sammies". The sloppy Joe!

According to nationaldaycalendar.com, there is much debate how the "sloppy joe" came to be.

Story time:

"Reader Steven Hirsch wrote to National Day Calendar and informed us that Town Hall Deli in Maplewood, NJ has a direct connection to Sloppy Joe. It opened in 1927, and during the 1930s, Maplewood's Mayor Sweeney traveled to Havana, where he met the bartender named Sloppy Joe and was served a delicious sandwich. The mayor came back to New Jersey and with a well-developed taste for Joe's sandwich. The mayor enjoyed it so much he asked one of Town Hall Deli's proprietors, Fred Heinz, to replicate it. According to the website, "It was made with coleslaw, ham, cow tongue, swiss cheese, with lots of dressing and was served on thin rye bread. Hence, the origin of the Sloppy Joe sandwich and how Town Hall Deli of South Orange became The Birthplace of the Sloppy Joe!"

Then in 1934...

At the Ye Olde Tavern Inn, in Sioux City, Iowa, Abraham and Bertha laid claim to the Sloppy Joe when they added a loose meat sandwich on their menu in 1934. 

Whoever brought the Sloppy Joe to the world, Hunt's made it more convenient in 1969. They put it in a can and called it Manwich.

Today many families have their secret recipes that make their Sloppy Joe's special.  Whether it's an unusual spice, a novel ingredient for sweetening or a homemade tomato sauce, a Sloppy Joe lends itself to originality and personality.  A new flavor is just around the corner.  In the south, you might come across a barbecue flavor while in the north, Sloppy Joe might be a little sweeter. Whatever your flavor, it is undoubtedly an all-American food holiday!"

In honor of today, here's a few ways you can pay homage:

📍Go to your favorite restaurant and order a "sloppy Joe"

📍Try this recipe: Sloppy Joe's Pocket Sandwiches

Sloppy Joes aren't so sloppy when they're served in pita bread pockets.

Ingredients

1/2 recipe prepared Make-Ahead Seasoned Ground Beef

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

2 pita pocket bread rounds, cut in half

4 slices (3/4 ounce each) American cheese, cut diagonally in half

Green bell pepper rings (optional)

𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Place prepared ground beef mixture in Small Micro-Cooker®. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and allspice, if desired. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring after 2 minutes.

Wrap pita bread pockets in microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds to soften. Place cheese slices in pockets. Fill with ground beef mixture. Garnish with bell pepper rings.

𝗬𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱: 4 sandwiches

𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴: Calories 350, Total Fat 13 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Carbohydrate 29 g, Protein 29 g, Sodium 1010 mg, Fiber 2 g

𝗨.𝗦. 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴: 2 starch, 3 meat (2 carb)

Your Pampered Chef’s Cook Tips: When purchasing pita pocket bread, be sure to buy pita rounds that will form pockets when cut in half.

This meat mixture can be used to fill hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls, too.

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘁 #𝟭𝟬𝟬𝟬𝟰𝟭

Don't have this item on hand, don't panic. Pick it up here⬇️

🛒link: Table by Pampered Chef

ACTION STEP: Whip up these messy, moist sammies, and invite friends and family over to enjoy it. Then let me know in the comments how it turned out or kick your kitchen up a notch by booking your cooking show here:

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