Go Pack! Go!

The NFL playoffs are here!  Tomorrow, Sunday, the Green BayPackers will be playing the San Francisco 49rs at Lambeau Field in -5(F) temps.  May the best team win...and may that team be the Packers!

Regardless of whether you are a party of just a few or many, here are two recipes that are great the playoff game Sundays:

Hamburgers in Cheese Sauce

• 2 pounds ground beef (I use ground sirloin)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 8 large onion slices, about 1/4" thick
• 1 can (10 - 1/2 oz) cream of celery soup
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup chili sauce
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 8 hamburger buns, split
• Heat oven to 350 (F).  Lightly form beef into 8 patties, sprinkling both sides with salt & pepper.  Place in 13 x 91/2 x 2 baking dish.  Top each with a slice of onion.  Bake 20 minutes.
• While hamburgers are baking, combine soup, seasonings and cheese in pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts.  Set aside.
• When hamburgers are done, pour off excess juice, add cheese sauce and bake 10 minutes more.
• Toast split buns on baking sheet in oven at the same time.  Serve hamburgers between toasted bun halves.
• 8 servings

Super Sloppy Joes
(This is a Rachel Ray recipe and the only one I use for Sloppy Joes)

• 1 - 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin (I used extra-light not virgin) olive oil, 1 turn of the pan.
• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal seasoning
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 crusty rolls, split, lightly toasted, buttered
• Garnish:  sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles,
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil and meat to the ban.  Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up.  Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning.  Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine.  When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to skillet.  Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes.  Add tomato sauce and paste to the pan.  Stir to combine.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer (I've left it simmering on low for up to one hour).
• Using a large spoon pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops.  Serve with your favorite sides.

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