In Columbia Missouri sits an honest to goodness Dive.  It is called Mugs Up.  I think they make their own root beer hence the name.  But that's not what my family likes. we like the loose meat sandwiches.  I think if you get one with cheese you call it a Cheese Zip.  (I hope Cindy will correct me. )

Sue and Cindy and I went to Mugs Up a few years ago...



Here it is.

From what I remembered Janice has made Mugs Up at home.  (I'm just gonna call them Mugs Up..that's what we do.)  I pestered her for the recipe on FB.  Cindy chimed in to say that she had the recipe from the newspaper. Tuesday the recipe came in the mail.  Snail mail.  Go Cindy!

Yesterday I made them.

Cheesy Loose Meat Sandwich

1 1/4 pounds ground chuck
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
Cheez Whiz to bind or to taste
4 buns (soft)
onion
mustard
hamburger dills

Brown the meat.  Drain the grease.  Add chicken stock.
Season the browned meat with paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
(At this point I added dried mustard and a big tablespoon of butter because Janice said so.)
Simmer for 15 minutes to reduce liquid.  When liquid is reduced add about 2 heaping T. Cheez Whiz.
Mix.
You done.

Scoop the meat onto a soft white bun.
Add more melted Cheez Whiz, chopped onions and pickles on top of the meat.

(Apparently I was suppose to put mustard on it.  I forgot and it didn't bother me at all.)


It went splendidly.



Now, I did not look at the picture of the real Mugs Up until this morning.  It is more mushy.
Since the recipe does not say how much Cheez Whiz to add to the cooked meat, I was very tentative.
I used about two tablespoons of Cheez to bind.  I was so afraid if I made them too cheezy Patrick and Katie would not like them.

As it turned out, they both liked them and ate them.   (They had their Mugs Up plain.  Just meat and bun.)
Around here this is a huge success.
All three people eating the same food at dinner.
Shocking.

This is a very small recipe.  It only makes four sandwiches.

It was really and truly delicious.
I'm not sure how much it tastes like the real thing...cause it's been a few years.  But it was tasty and easy and a big HIT around here!

Try it.
You'll like it!

Encourage one another,
Donna Elsie