Sloppy Joe Loaf

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 (11 ounce) can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crusty French Loaf
• 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet and large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In sprayed skillet, combine ground beef and onion; cook until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain well.
3. Add tomato sauce, flour, basil, oregano and fennel seed; mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Meanwhile, remove dough from can and place on lightly floured surface. Cut loaf in half lengthwise. Roll each half to form a 16 x 4 inch rectangle. You may want to stretch the dough with your hands to the correct size. Place 1 dough rectangle on sprayed cookie sheet, stretch it to the correct size on cookie sheet.
5. Stir 1/2 cup of the cheese into ground beef mixture. Spoon and spread mixture over dough rectangle on cookie sheet.
6. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
7. Top with remaining dough rectangle.
8. Again, stretch the dough to cover and form the top of the sandwich. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Cut into slices.

Notes

Source: $2,000 winner in the 2002 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest