What's for Dinner?

What's for dinner? I am sure that is on just about everybody's mind and like me I am sure you are probably having a difficult time trying to figure out what you are in the mood for. Normally this wouldn't be to difficult of a process however I am in desparate need of going to the grocery. Unfortunately my funds have been tapped, erased, flushed down the toilet, or to just come out and say it...have all been spent. My pantry is loaded but my fridge has been left bare. I think I have one chicken breast left and splitting it between two hungry people is just not going to cut it, so tonight everybody is a night where Katie has to get creative. I have the following items on hand and I am going to attempt to knock my socks off with the ingredients. Please follow me on what could be an amazing meal.

First off, we had left over sloppy joes from Saturdays bake off. My Husband doesn't like vegetable soup so I had to make him a separate meal. I am a good wife like that. I also had a bag of potatoes that were starting to sprout so I figured now was the time to use them up. I also had a roll of crescent rolls because those along with cream cheese and sour cream are always in my fridge. Lastly, I had shredded cheese. Once again another staple in our house. So I decided to make ranch baked potatoes along with open faced sloppy joes.



Here is what you will need;

Sloppy Joe meat, I had it left over, but if you wanted to make it fresh use a pound.
A roll of crescent rolls
Shredded Mild Cheddar
Potatoes
Ranch Dressing
Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ranch Baked Potatoes

1.) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2.) Wash potatoes and slice like a fan, not cutting all the way through.
3.) Rub down your potatoes with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4.) Bake in oven for 30 to 40 minutes are until golden brown and baked through.
5.) During the last 5 minutes of baking pour about a tablespoon or two of ranch dressing on your potato making sure it drips down into the slices. Sprinkle the top with cheese and put back into the oven until the cheese is melted.


Now for the open faced sloppy joes:

1.) Take your crescent rolls, unless when you take them out of the package something like this happens.
They crumble and tear apart. Now because that was my last roll of crescent rolls I had to think fast; so I improvised and used the biscuits that had been set aside for the biscuits and gravy that was being made on Christmas morning. Looks like I am headed back to the grocery!
2.) Throw away your broken crescent rolls and break open the Grands Biscuits, with those flaky layers and extra butter tastin'.
3.) Flatten your biscuits out and put on a sprayed baking sheet. I used my pizza sheet that has holes in it just to insure that they baked more evenly.
4.) Spoon onto your biscuit some of your sloppy joe mix. I didn't measure anything, I just piled it on until I couldn't pile anymore. Of course be sure to leave enough for all eight biscuits.
5.) Pop in the oven at 350 degrees until the biscuits edges are a nice golden brown.
6.) During the last few minutes of baking pull those bad boys out of the oven and sprinkle with some more of that shredded cheese you used on the ranch baked potatoes and stick them right back into the oven to allow the cheese to melt.

Now for the verdict. While I love baked potatoes and these smelled heavenly during the last few minutes in the oven, they did not knock my socks off. They were good but I would definately do things differently next time. I think maybe I would sprinkle them with parmesan cheese and some Hidden Vally Ranch seasoning and instead cut them into fries. As they were I think they would go over well with children because let's face it, don't most all children like cheese and ranch dressing?? As far as the open faced sloppy joes go, they were good and very easy to make when you are pressed for time. Another keeper for children! I think next time I will make them into a open faced pizza using pizza sauce instead of the sloppy joe sauce. Add some onions, mushrooms, and a little mozzarella on top. You of course could add any of your favorite pizza toppings. In conclusion, while this meal filled the empty spot that was growing larger in my stomach at every passing moment, this isn't something I would necessarily make again. Great for young children, definately not something you would serve to the in-laws.