Guest Post - Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Today's post is brought to you by Jessica of The Jey of Cooking. I met Jey on my cooking board and we became fast friends. I was thisclose to meeting her this spring when I was visiting my grandparents in Chicago, where Jey lives, but alas family time got in the way. We WILL meet up soon and it will be glorious. I'm envisioning lots of good food and good conversation. Jey's blog is full of drool-inducing photos of delicious food. I love her wit and her style. And I love that she chose this recipe to make, out of all the recipes in my blog, simply because I can't believe how popular it has become thanks to Pinterest.


I've never been to Philly, nor have I ever had a cheesesteak. But my friend Sarah lives in the area and is quite familiar with them, so when she asked me to contribute to her SIXTH (!!) Blogiversary celebration, I knew it was the perfect time to finally try this Northeastern treat. They also happen to be the most popular post on Sarah's blog, and as I recently found out, it's with good reason. These babies are crazy delicious.

But before I get more into the food, let's talk a little bit about Sarah. Sarah was the first blogger friend I made. She welcomed me into the blogging community with open arms and encouraged me to become more active within it. She's one of the funniest, kindest, most caring people I've never met (but I hope to rectify that soon!!) I can't believe that Sarah has been blogging for six whole years while I struggle to keep my little old blog updated once per week. I love that she cooks real food, using ingredients that are accessible to everyone, and that they're generally simple enough to prepare on a busy weeknight.

And now back to the cheesesteaks. This meal was on the table within 20 minutes of turning on the stove. It came together quickly and easily. The Husby loved them and the Fruitaholic even took a couple of bites. And really, aside from the ooey, gooey, mouthwatering cheese sauce, it's *almost* guiltless. For me, the key to this sandwich was the toasted bun. It provided the perfect amount of crunch to offset the drippy meat mixture. We both went back for seconds.

Sarah - Happy, HAPPY blogiversary to you. I'm thrilled to be a part of your celebration and can't wait to see the recipes you come up over the next six years!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 softball-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded

In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

Split open rolls and remove most of the soft insides, leaving a bed to hold the meat mixture. Toast the rolls and set aside.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the cheese.

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.