Name: Sloppy-Joe-Topped Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 can whole tomatoes, broken up with a spoon
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 6 hot baked potatoes
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 pint sour cream

Instructions:

• Put beef in a 2-qt casserole, breaking it up with a fork
• Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for 2 1/2 minutes
• Drain off fat and break up any large pieces
• Add celery, onion, and garlic
• Cover with wax paper
• Microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes
• Drain fat
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and chili powder
• Cover with a lid (or plastic wrap)
• Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and heated through
• Mix a cross slit in each potato top
• With both hands, gently squeeze potato on each end, slightly pushing meaty potato pulp up through top.
• Arrange potatoes on individual serving plates
• Ladle about one cup of the tomato-beef mixture over each potato.
• Pass cheese and sour cream toppings at the table.

Comments: 9/14/2014 - One potato each was sufficient.
3/19/2015 - I used one small onion, a full cup, diced tomatoes in place of whole, salt substitute in place of salt, and 3 teaspoons of chili powder. I used two cloves of garlic and added half a teaspoon of powdered garlic. The russet potatoes were large, and Gail only ate half of hers. I served it with steamed asparagus and salad.
4/17/2016 - I substituted 12 oz. of Lightlife Smart Ground Meatless Crumbles for the the ground beef. Gail recognized the switch immediately.
12/4/2018 - Back to beef. I did the 15 minute microwaving on HIGH, not MEDIUM, by mistake. No problem. One Russet potato, divided in two, was sufficient for the two of us. Gail said "this is a good winter meal".
4/20/2021 - I used a pound of ground beef, 1 cup of chopped yellow onion, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, diced tomatoes, salt substitute, and 2 tablespoons of chili powder. And I microwaved the result on HIGH power. The other items were as given in the recipe.
8/21/2021 - I used 1 pound of Beyond Beef and 1 pound of fresh tomatoes, hand chopped. I only microwaved for 10 minutes rather than 15. We each ate one medium-sized potato.
We ate this two days in a row. On the third day, I added 1/4 cup V8 juice and a tablespoon of basil, and used it for pasta sauce.
9/7/2022 - I used 1 pound of Beyond Beef, a can of diced tomatoes, a tablespoon of chili powder, a teaspoon of garlic powder, 2 stalks of celery, as well as the other ingredients. We each ate one medium-sized potato, which Gail thought was too much.

Source: Sunset Microwave Cook Book, Lane Publishing Co., 1981, page 57

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