Throw it in a Pita: BBQ Beef Pita Melts

This is less of a recipe and more like a concept for loose-meat sandwiches, sort of like a Sloppy Joe. Pre-cooked ground beef really helps to get this on the table quickly.  Serve with a pouch of microwave steamed veggies and some fresh fruit for a super-fast weeknight meal.

Customize it any way you want. You could switch out the BBQ sauce with taco sauce to make this a cheater version of tacos.  Or marinara to make Italian sandwiches.  Thai peanut sauce with ground chicken or turkey or cubes of tofu would be great.  And of course if you like veggies, throw those in too, I kept mine veggie-free since I know that would be an immediate turnoff for the toddler.  A tasty vegetarian version would be roasted veggies with some pesto sauce and mozzarella cheese. 

Ingredients

makes 4-6 pocket sandwiches

• 1 lb ground beef (mine was a frozen bag of pre-cooked ground beef)  
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for topping (ours was Smoky Jon's, only blocks away from our house)
• shredded cheese
• 4-6 pita bread pockets (we used Arnold Bread 100% whole wheat pocket thins)

Directions

Heat up the pre-cooked ground beef or brown and drain if yours isn't pre-cooked.  Add the 1/4 to 1/3 cup BBQ sauce and ensure everything is heated through. 

Ground beef with BBQ sauce

When your saucy meat is sufficiently warmed up, turn the heat off.  Grab a pita pocket and add some of meat, some cheese, and top it with more sauce.  Enjoy! 

BBQ meat stuffed in a pita with cheese and more sauce

Verdict

Husband Jeff really liked this, but he loves Smoky Jon's.  I think I could pour that stuff on a shoe and he would be half-way through eating it before he noticed.  So he was totally accepting of this meal.  I liked it too.  Sonny D wouldn't even try the meat nor the sandwich, but some days he's such a toddler.