1hr 1min prep: 15min cook: 46min
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Sloppy Joes
- Creamy Mac and Cheese
Kids and adults alike will love this meal. Especially the cook, because its easy to pull together and satisfying to eat.
If your oven and broiler are the same, wait to preheat the broiler until the sweet potatoes are out of the oven.Notes:
- It’s important to bake the sweet potato fries at a high temperature. If pairing this dish with another recipe that requires an oven, cook as instructed, but remember to change the oven temperature for each recipe. If these cook first, add back to the oven for 5 minutes before serving so they warm up again.
- If you have a homemade tomato sauce, feel free to use it. Otherwise, just buy a basic tomato sauce, something that doesn’t have a bunch of extra flavors already cooked in.
Use slider buns instead of regular buns for a fun party appetizer. Recipe makes about 16-20 sliders.
Ingredients
Produce
- Garlic — 2 Cloves
- Jalapeños — 1 Tablespoon
- Onions — 1⁄2 Cup
- Sweet Potato, Medium — 1 Pound
Meat & Seafood
- Ground Beef — 1 1⁄4 Pounds
Cheese & Lunchmeat
- Cheddar Cheese Slices, Optional
- Cheddar Cheese, Shredded — 1 Cup
- Parmesan Cheese, Grated — 2 Tablespoons
- Velveeta Cheese — 4 Ounces
Dairy & Eggs
- Butter, Unsalted — 6 Tablespoons
- Heavy Cream — 1⁄2 Cup
- Sour Cream — 2 Tablespoons
Bread & Bakery
- Hamburger Buns — 4
Grains & Pasta
- Elbow Pasta — 1⁄2 Pound
Canned Goods, Soups & Mixes
- Tomato Paste — 2 Tablespoons
- Tomato Sauce — 1 Cup
Spice & Baking
- Black Pepper
- Brown Sugar — 2 Tablespoons
- Kosher Salt
- Mustard Powder — 1 Teaspoon
Condiments, Oils & Dressings
- Apple Cider Vinegar — 1⁄4 Cup
- Barbecue Sauce — 1⁄4 Cup
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 4 Tablespoons
- Worcestershire Sauce — 2 Teaspoons
Equipment
Kitchen Supplies
- Parchment Paper
Appliances
- Broiler
- Microwave
- Oven
- Stove Top — 2
Cooking Equipment
- Can Opener
- Chef’s Knife
- Colander
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Microwave-Safe Bowl, Medium
- Microwave-Safe Bowl, Small
- Pastry Brush
- Peeler
- Pot, Large (4-6 QT)
- Saute Pan, Large (12″ or Larger)
- Sheet Pan — 3
- Whisk
Prep Steps
- [ Baked Sweet Potato Fries ] Prepare two sheet pans with a layer of parchment paper.
- [ Baked Sweet Potato Fries ] Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut into 1/4 inch slices, then again into 1/4 inch sticks. Lay out evenly on the prepared sheet pans. Do not crowd.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Finely chop an onion to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Cut the stem end off the jalapeño, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribbing. Cut into a small dice to measure the indicated amount. Avoid touching your face when handling peppers, and wash hands immediately after. Add to the onion.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Smash the garlic under the side of your chef’s knife to remove the peel. Mince the garlic.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Cut the Velveeta cheese into small cubes. Place in a medium microwave-safe bowl along with the shredded cheddar cheese.
Cook Steps
- [ Baked Sweet Potato Fries ] Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and warm.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Once oil is warm, add the onion and jalapeno. Saute 1-2 minutes to soften. Do not brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Use a spoon or spatula to break the meat up into small pieces. Stir in mustard powder, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Cook the beef until well browned, about 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
- [ Baked Sweet Potato Fries ] Drizzle the sweet potato fries with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
- [ Baked Sweet Potato Fries ] Place the potatoes in the preheated oven and bake until nicely caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Flip the fries after [10 minutes] to ensure even cooking. If sheet pans are on different racks in the oven, switch them around as well.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Fill a large pot 2/3 high with water and cover. Place over high heat. Proceed with next step as water comes to a boil.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Once beef is cooked through, carefully drain out the excess fat from the pan.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Set the beef back over medium-high heat. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and apple cider vinegar. Bring liquid to a boil.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Once liquid is boiling, lower heat and simmer for [10-15 minutes] until sauce is thickened. Stir often.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Once water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir in the elbow pasta. Cook until tender but with a slight bite, about [7-8 minutes], or according to the package instructions.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Pour heavy cream into the bowl with the cheddar and Velveeta cheeses. Microwave on high in short 25-second increments, whisking in between each round until all the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Preheat broiler on high.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Place the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in short 20 second increments to soften. It does not have to be totally melted.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Split each hamburger bun in half horizontally. Spread the softened butter on the inside of each bun. Place on a sheet pan, buttered side up.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Place the buns under the broiler and toast for [2-3 minutes] until golden and slightly crispy. Keep a close eye as the buns can burn quickly.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Place strained pasta back into the pot over low heat. Add butter and stir until melted.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Pour melted cheese mixture over the top, and stir until well combined.
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Stir in sour cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] Taste the sloppy joe mixture for final seasoning. Add more salt or pepper if necessary.
- [ Sloppy Joes ] If using cheddar cheese, place a slice on each bottom bun. Scoop the beef mixture on top, then finish with the top bun. Transfer a sloppy joe to each dinner plate. Serve warm!
- [ Creamy Mac and Cheese ] Transfer the mac and cheese to a serving bowl or dinner plates. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan for extra cheesiness! Serve warm!
- [ Baked Sweet Potato Fries ] Transfer the sweet potato fries to a serving platter or dinner plates. Ready to serve!