Lentil Sloppy Joes

I recently got a recipe in my email for Lentil Sloppy Joes. The concept was so simple I couldn't resist - cook lentils and carrots until tender and add Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce. We didn't have canned sauce so we opted for a package of sloppy joe seasoning (.44 at the local store) and 1/2 quart of home-canned tomatoes. The result was so good that my husband exclaimed after every bite (and a lot of comments about how it tasted just like hamburger sloppy joes). It's easy and a really inexpensive meal.
For those of us in the Palouse, lentils are often given away. We are the home of the Pea and Lentil Commission and when they attend fairs and festivals it's always with the little bags of free legumes (usually three types of lentils - brown, mini brown and red). They also sell big bags of lentils for a good deal (something like 10 pounds for $12 or 12 pounds for $10 - sorry I can't remember but it's still a good deal).
Lentils are still inexpensive in the grand scheme of things - I "budget" $2 per meal for protein. I don't spend that much on every meal but that's my ceiling. Unless I am making something really special, my protein choice can not cost more than that. A single pound bag of lentils falls into this category at the grocery store and 1 pound will make two pots of lentil sloppy joes.
According to the recipe this will make 8 sloppy joes, I found that to be fairly accurate. We feed 4 people at dinner and had enough left over for my brother when he got home from work. It doesn't look like a lot of food but it was plenty. Serve on buttered toasted hamburger buns for an authentic sloppy joes.
Next time I plan on trying a variation without packaged seasoning.

Lentil Sloppy Joes
1 cup dry brown lentils, sorted and rinsed (sorted means looking for rocks, twigs, etc)
4 cups water
1 cup chopped carrots (about the size of the lentils)
1 can sloppy joe sauce (or tomatoes, tomato sauce and sloppy joe seasoning)
1 TB packed brown sugar
8 hamburger buns
Combine lentils and water in saucepan. Cover, bring to boil over med-high heat. Add carrots. Reduce to med-low and cook 20 minutes or until tender. Drain excess water. Stir in sloppy joe sauce and brown sugar, simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Use about 1/2 cup lentils on each bun.

Chicken Salad

Ocassionally we get a can of chicken and make chicken salad. Canned chicken can be pricey so we substitute with a couple boneless skinless chicken breast we bake and then chop. I don't use a "recipe" for this salad because it depends on what we have in the crisper and pantry. There's a formula I like and that's what I'm sharing with you. This weekend we ate the chicken salad on croissant with provolone cheese slices and a big slice of tomato.

Chicken Salad

Cold (or room temp-ish) chopped chicken
mayonaise
veggies - sliced olives, chopped celery, finely chopped onions, sweet relish
fruit - halved grapes, dried cranberries
nuts - walnuts, pecans

Mix chicken with mayo and choices from the remaining ingredient list.

Combinations we like - relish and olives; cranberries and pecans; celery, grapes and walnuts

Serve as a sandwich.

Highrollers

With the summer heat in full swing, cooking becomes an undesirable act. Every Sunday we gather together for a big meal and entertainment. Yesterday, the temperature was the low 90's. We had planned on sandwiches and mac and cheese. Too hot. But we went with highrollers and macaroni salad (we cheated and bought the salad while enjoying the stores air conditioning).
Highrollers are a type of sandwich but they are so much cooler than a normal sandwich (I mean temperature). They are easy to make but look like you spent ages making them. Pop them in the fridge before serving and you have a rather nice summer dinner.

Highrollers
Burrito sized flour tortillas
Deli meat
Cream Cheese, mayo, mustard
cheese
lettuce (or salad mix)
tomato or other sandwich veggies

* You really can make these any way you want which makes a recipe difficult. I love cream cheese and turkey so that's the instructions I will give you. If you use tomatoes, slice as thin as possible because they will inhibit rolling and they will make the roller wetter.

Lay out tortilla. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over the tortilla. Layer with slices of turkey. Sprinkle on salad mix. be sure to leave a rim of cream cheese around the edge of tortilla without other toppings. Starting at the side nearest you, roll the tortilla into a tube, using the cream cheese to seal the edges. Slice into 1" pieces.
Refrigerate if you want them to be extra cold or serve immediately.
I like to dip my slices in Italian dressing.
The sky is the limit with these sandwiches, just rememeber dry is better and then dip into sauces.