Sloppy Joe Recipes

Make this easy weeknight dish using leftovers from Mom's Meat Loaf. This easy, sophisticated take on an American comfort food classic gets pumped up with adobo chipotle peppers--add even more if you like it hot!

At his Boston gastropub, Blue Dragon, star chef Ming Tsai will serve these Asian-accented sliders. They're based on a recipe his mother made for him when he was young: She'd fill his thermos with the chile-sauce-and-ginger-flavored ground meat and include the slider buns in his lunch box. "Everyone at school wanted them, so I'd usually trade a little slider for a complete lunch," says Tsai.

In contrast to its mod white tables and neon-red lamps, Ketchup dishes up old-school diner food. Before serving this hearty sandwich, which is spiked with the restaurant's signature condiment, chef Christopher Tunnell ran it by his mom. "When she tasted it, she was proud," he says.

Like all the food at this aptly named San Francisco restaurant (iceberg lettuce with bacon and ranch dressing, Niman Ranch meat loaf with mashed potatoes), this hearty dip is an homage to an all-American classic, served with house-made tortilla chips in place of the usual bun.

This is an easy and delicious alternative to basic burgers.