Friday Night is Fun Food Night

!±8± Friday Night is Fun Food Night

When my husband and I were first married, we were both working and our rent was fairly low, so we usually ate out once a week or so. It was nice to get out of the house and avoid dishes where possible. A few years, one toddler, and a new house later we cannot afford the luxury of eating out, but we wanted to keep the tradition of having fun. The solution: Friday night is fun food night.

Growing up in a family of seven children, we only ate out on trips and when someone one else's wallet was paying. We made our food from scratch (i.e. grinding our own wheat flour, home canning, homemade granola etc.). My mother had a calendar that outlined the staples each week: Monday-potatoes, Tuesday-rice, and so on. Friday simply said "Fun Food."

Our recipe box contained a section that said "Fun Food" on the category. It contained dishes such as pizza, sloppy joe's (we called them slushburgers), and pigs in blankets. The recipes are easy, fun, and nourishing. We try to reserve these foods for Friday so it still has that special excitement of being able to do something different and fun.

Here's a few of our favorite recipes. Add your own and begin your own Friday Night is Fun Food Night tradition!

Sloppy Joe's (These are absolutely the best I've ever had)

You can ½ the recipe for smaller group.

Ingredients:

2 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
½ cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 can tomato soup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. sage
½ tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:

In large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion. Chop with wooden spoon to break up meat. Stir until meat is cooked or browned. Add the ketchup, mustard, salt tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce sage, pepper and brown sugar. Stir well. Simmer 30 min, stirring often.

Pigs in Blankets (kids will love this one)

You will need:

1. Biscuit dough, shaped into ½ in. thick circles (Use a biscuit mix, your favorite biscuit recipe, pre-made biscuit dough, or the following recipe)
2. Hot Dogs
3. Dip of choice

Take each biscuit dough circle and wrap it around a hot dog and seal it. Place on baking sheet and follow baking directions for biscuits. Serve with favorite condiments or dip.

Baking Powder Biscuits

Can ½ the recipe if needed.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
6 tsp. baking powder
½ cup oatmeal (can use wheat bran or wheat germ)
¾ cup oil
1 ¼ cup milk

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add oatmeal and stir. In 2 cup measuring pitcher, pour oil. Add milk to the oil to the 2 cup mark. Dump into flour mixture and stir to form ball. Place onto floured surface and roll to ½ in. thick. Use large side of biscuit cutter or wide mouthed cup to form biscuits. Place onto baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden-brown.