Cherith Valley Gardens Homestyle Ketchup

Processed foods with high fructose corn syrup have been on my hit list for the past few years.  The debate continues on whether there are health risks associated with HFCS, but I just don’t enjoy the super-sweet overtones they add to sauces and condiments (or anything else for that matter).  Ketchup is one food I had just about eliminated from my diet because it began tasting like tomato-flavored sugar to me.  Ugh.  Until recently, I didn’t realize our friends and food entrepreneurs, Terri and Alan Werner, had ketchup in their line-up of great Cherith Valley Gardens condiments and salsas.  I wasn’t sure what to expect from “homestyle” ketchup since I had only eaten the national brands, but I knew the best way to taste it was with a plate of crisp, lightly salted homestyle fries   The verdict?  No more HFCS-laden ketchup for me! CVG’s ketchup has a very rich tomato taste with just enough sugar to balance the heat from jalapeños and spices.   It is so good!

The ketchup is great for making easy sloppy joes, eliminating the need for much additional seasoning.  I did add a bit of chili powder because we like our joes spicy.  You can easily adapt this recipe by adding spices to suit your taste.  You can also double, triple, or otherwise multiply it to feed a small army or freeze for future meals.  That would be very easy to do in the crockpot, too.

Sloppy Joes

• 1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups Cherith Valley Gardens Homestyle Ketchup

Brown ground meat with onion and green pepper in a large skillet over medium heat,  then pour off any excess grease.  Add chili powder and ketchup and mix well.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  (Note:  This will be tasty and ready to eat at the end of 20 minutes, but if time permits, I reduce to a very low heat and simmer for about 45 minutes to really blend the flavors.)

Check out our review on Cherith Valley Gardens Hot ‘n Spicy Corn Relish for the Werner Family story behind their salsas and condiments.  You can now order directly from their website and find recipes for entertaining or for simple, everyday gourmet dishes you will love.  If you move quickly, you can take advantage of their March special on Homestyle Ketchup!