I could use some cooking advice!

I plan to make some Sloppy Joe sliders for an upcoming Fourth of July party, using the recipe below.

http://www.closetcooking.com/2009/05/sloppy-joes.html?m=1

I am not going to put the beans in it, and I plan to use the alternate one tablespoon chili powder/one teaspoon cumin combination instead of the Goijang (spelled wrong, probably) sauce, since most of my family does not like Asian flavors (I love it).

Here is the dilemma I have. I plan to double the recipe, which obviously means I would use 2 tablespoons of chili powder and two teaspoons of cumin, which kind of seems like a lot. I eat so much extremely spicy food though and have built up such a tolerance, that I really don't have very much judgement
when it comes to what is too spicy and what is not. Would the amounts that I listed above be too spicy for the average person?

Also, what would be some good side dishes? I planned to just throw some tater tots in the oven, but that seems kind of boring? Maybe some carrots?

Cumin isn't what I call hot, nor chili. But just add it a bit at a time, if you want.

I think coke slaw would be an awesome side dish myself. Maybe corn bread too? Some kind of melon/fruit salad?

I think I too would add a little at a time.  Start with about half the chili powder, taste, add a bit more if you want.  Let it cook a bit then taste again.  I love cumin and I don't consider it hot, it's more a smoky flavor.

I like creamy coleslaw with shredded barbecue, this would be close to the same flavors.  You can get bags of the slaw mix so you don't have to shred the cabbage and carrots for it.  I would just be a matter of making the dressing.

Yup. Go ahead and add the full tablespoon of chili powder and teaspoon of cumin in the beginning. Cumin is not hot at all (I love cumin!), but it can be a strong spice for people who aren't used to using it. Add more of both as you go along. But here's the thing....your recipe says to cook for a few minutes longer. I think I'd cook it at least for a good 15 minutes, after adding your ingredients. Why? Because you want that chili powder and cumin to "mingle" a bit with the other ingredients and you want all those flavors to meld together. That's not going to happen in a few minutes. I'd turn the heat down to simmer and let it go, stirring occasionally, for a good 15 minutes anyway.

Personally, I think you'd be fine to just double both the chili powder and the cumin (2 teaspoons cumin really isn't all that much overall). But to be on the safe side, increase your amounts sparingly. Taste and adjust as you go. You can't go wrong if you do it that way. 

As for sides, like Denice and MisterWhiskers said, I'd definitely go with a creamy coleslaw to offset the tomato-y texture of the sloppy joe mixture. Here's one of our favorites:

BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER COLESLAW

3 cups shredded cabbage

1-1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup chopped red onion

2 cups fresh cauliflowerets

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, onion, cauliflower and broccoli. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Add to coleslaw and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Yield:  10 servings. You can use a bagged coleslaw mix and add the broccoli and cauliflowerets to the coleslaw mix. If you don't like onion, you can omit. Make the salad and dressing ahead of time and then about 30 minutes before you plan to eat, add the dressing to the salad and toss. Easy!

Broccoli salad would be good, too. So would a macaroni or potato salad.

Dessert? Chocolate brownies!   

I'd go very easy on the chili powder and the cumin, definitely not more than tablespoon of each. The heat in chili powder can vary considerably - the stuff I buy in Texas is like hellfire compared to the chilli powder where I live. I'm not sure it's even chilli powder here, lol. Food that's too spicy is uneatable, and everyone has their own limits, so you are smart to tone the heat way down.

Cumin seems to be a love-it or hate-it spice, kind of like cilantro, so going easy on that will help your dish appeal to a wider variety of palates, too.

Cumin isn't a hot spicy type spice.

I have a very low tolerance to hot spicy food. Even something considered "mild hot" often sets my mouth and throat on fire to the point I feel like throwing up.

Unless you are using a different kind of chili powder, the chili powder that I buy in grocery stores is not hot at all.  When I make chili, I put 4 or 5 tablespoons into the pot, sometimes more.  It is never "spicy hot" but has a nice chili type flavouring.  If I want to add heat I add a bit of hot sauce or tobasco sauce.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I do have one more question. The recipe calls for red wine vinegar, which I never use. I would hate to have to go buy and waste a whole bottle just to use a couple of tablespoons. I have distilled white vinegar, apple cider vinegar and rice vinegar (not rice wine--it just says rice) on hand. Would any of these be a good substitution?

It's only one tablespoon. I'd use apple cider vinegar in its place. Regular white vinegar would be fine, too.

The recipe does only call for one tablespoon, but I plan to double the recipe, so it would be two. Maybe I could use one tablespoon each of the white and cider vinegar?

You could do that, but honestly, either vinegar would be fine. (Sorry, I forgot you were doubling the recipe.) See, think of everything else that's in the recipe; the beef, the veggies, the other seasonings, etc. You'll be fine not using the red wine vinegar. Honest. And if you really wanted to, again, double the amount sparingly and taste as you go.

Thanks!!