The Meal That Almost Wasn't

Here's a tale of the night I made Sloppy Joe's...

It all started when I was in the grocery store last week and passed the section that contained packets of Sloppy Joe mixtures.  Hmm, I haven't had Sloppy Joe's in FOREVER!  That sounds like it might be interesting.  I checked the ingredients, and it was vegan.  Next, I needed vegan beef crumbles.  The Lightlife Gimme Lean Ground Beef style looked like it would work. 

I had a grand idea to make a lovely garden salad and fresh guacamole with the Sloppy Joe's, and that is what I did!  

I picked two different kinds of lettuce, baby spinach and chard out of my little patio garden, and mixed up the guac with my handy chop n press.  I knew the Sloppy Joe mixture wouldn't take long to cook, so I saved that for last.  Everything was going so wonderfully.  I even chopped up some kale, celery, fresh tomatoes, and onion to enhance the Joe's and make them "fancy" (in my opinion.)

Then it all went downhill.  I misread the directions, and miscalculated the amounts of ingredients, and everything got all messed up and it wasn't sloppy enough or red enough and I didn't know what to do!

W came in and informed me that I had only read the amount for the serving size, when in fact the entire tube of veggie beef was 16 ounces, which is close enough to the amount that the packet of Sloppy Joe mixture needed.  (I was trying to figure out how much of the packet should go with only two ounces of beef mixture... sigh.)

Of course, I was embarrassed that I hadn't read the package correctly and became very frustrated with the whole process.  I thought the whole dinner was ruined, and I felt like I failed myself!  Luckily my kind husband took over and finished the Sloppy Joe's while I sobbed in the corner.  Yes, quite dramatic am I when something goes amiss in my kitchen.

Finally we were both content with the final results.  The Joe's were now sloppy and red enough, and our taste-tests confirmed that it was delicious!  "Do you want me to toast your buns?"  W said, referring to the bread, of course.  And just when I thought the worst had passed, everything went back downhill again.  The bread was moldy!  It had been in the refrigerator, and it was still moldy!  I could not believe this.  This meal was a disaster.  Nothing was going as planned; I was so upset.

A quick trip was made to the Albertson's down the street, and ten minutes later, we had fresh buns for our Sloppy Joe's.  All was well with the world again.  Phew.  That was quite an ordeal, and now we know what happens when my perfectly planned meal doesn't go so perfectly.  Also, it had been a really long week at work, and maybe I was a bit too frazzled. 

ANY-way, here it is, the meal that almost wasnt: Sloppy Joe's with kale and a fresh salad straight from my garden!