I know I’m not the only one with dreaded memories of the monthly “Sloppy Joe Day” from my middle school cafeteria. The “meat” slop on a stale bun was always a little sketchy, but the concept is sound; a sweet and tomato-ey meat sauce on a burger bun. Try this recipe with a package of Hurst’s HamBeen’s® 15 Bean Soup and you will have no problem forgetting that plastic tray tragedy.

*Note: This recipe uses ground beef, but it would also taste great as a vegetarian dish if you choose to leave out the meat.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeen’s® 15 Bean Soup® (Beef Flavored)

1 lbs. -Ground beef

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Green Pepper

1- Cup Tomato Ketchup

1/2- Cup Yellow Mustard

1- Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2- Teaspoons Chili Powder

1- Tablespoon Brown Sugar

3- Cloves Chopped Garlic

1. Place the dry beans in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water. Check for any small stones or debris that may be present and discard. Cover the beans with at least 2″ of water and soak overnight or at least 8 hours. (This will speed cooking time up considerably)

2. Place the soaked beans in a large soup pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 30-45 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Remove the lid and continue to simmer.

3. While the beans are cooking, brown the ground beef in a large saute pan and add to the bean mixture when done. Using the leftover grease from the meat, cook the onion, green pepper, and garlic for 10-12 minutes over medium-high heat. When the onions become translucent, add mixture to the pot.

4. Stir to combine. When beans are completely tender, add in remaining ingredients.

5. The final step is to add Hurst’s beef flavoring and simmer for at least 10 minutes before serving.

6. Serve nice and sloppy on a hamburger bun with your choice of sides. Enjoy!

***This is my submission for this month’s “My Legume Love Affair: 11th Helping“. If you would like to participate this month or any other, please check put the host lineup!***

(Thanks to All Kind’s of Word’s and Stuff for the cafeteria Sloppy Joe image)

]]> http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/05/19/15-bean-sloppy-joes/feed/ 13 hurstbeans P5152817 P5152752 P5152748 P5152839 P5152741 P5152764 P5152769 P5152773 P5152788 P5152797 MLLA11 Logo 350 http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/03/11/confetti-lentil-soupreme%e2%84%a2/ http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/03/11/confetti-lentil-soupreme%e2%84%a2/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:19:27 +0000 hurstbeans http://aloadofbeans.wordpress.com/?p=209 Continue reading →]]>

While still low in fat, but high in fiber and protein, Lentils differ from many other dry beans because they have a much shorter cooking time. Hurst’s® HamBeens® Confetti Lentils look great in the package, and taste even better when following this very simple recipe.

What you need:

• 1- Package Hurst HamBeens Confetti Lentils

• 1lb. Ground Beef
• 1- Cup Diced Onion
• 1- Cup Diced Carrot
• 1- Cup Diced Celery
• 2- Can Diced Tomato
• 2-3 Cloves Chopped Garlic
• 1-2 Tbs. Butter or Olive Oi (for sautéing)
• 8-10 Cups Water

1. Dice the carrot, onion, and celery into bite-size (1/4″) pieces. This mixture is known as a Mirepoix. Also mince the garlic cloves.

2. Heat Olive Oil (or butter) over Med-High until pan is hot. Add the chopped veggies until they begin to soften, probably around 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the ground beef and sauté until meat is browned. Then add the cans of diced tomatoes and stir to combine.

4. Stir in Hurst’s seasoning packet and continue to simmer.

5. Place the dry lentils in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water thoroughly. Check for any stones or other unwanted debris that may be present.

6. Add the lentils and 8 cups of water to pot. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1- 1.5 hours.

7. The beans and vegetables should be completely tender, and some of the water should be reduced. If you prefer a more “brothy” soup, add water or beef stock until you reach desired consistency.

8. Serve with rice or some warm cornbread… ENJOY!