Italian Sloppy Joes

This recipe is modified from one I found in a magazine.  If I remembered which one, I'd tell you, but I have had it for several years now and just can't remember.

Italian Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
2 lb ground beef
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup garlic butter
2 loaves Italian bread
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Cook meat and onions in skillet.  Drain the fat.
2. Combine beef, onions, ketchup, tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese and seasonings into large pot and mix well. 
3. Bring mixture to boil and then let simmer for 15 minutes.
4. While the meat is cooking, cut the loaves length wise.  Spread the garlic butter on the top half of both loaves.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 cut mozzarella cheese on each bottom half.
6. Spoon meat mixture onto the bottom of each loaf.  Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese onto the top of the meat mixture.  Top the sandwich with the top half of the loaf.
7. Wrap each loaf in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  
8. Cut each loaf into 8 pieces.

Notes:
This recipe makes 16 servings.

The original recipe called for 1/2 tablespoons of fennel seed.  I do not like biting into fennel, so I leave it out.

Need a garlic butter recipe?  Click HERE

Have venison?  Great!  It works just as well as beef!

Have extra meat?  No problem.  It can be frozen and used for an easy meal later on.  You can also serve it over noodles if you just want something different.

 

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How much does this cost?

2 lb ground beef = $.7.98
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped = $.10
1 cup ketchup = $.84
1 cup tomato sauce = $.40
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese = $.25
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder = $.02
1 teaspoon oregano = $.09
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning = $.05
1/2 cup garlic butter = $.55
2 loaves Italian bread = $4.00
2 cups mozzarella cheese = $2.00

This recipe costs $16.28 to make.  So each sandwich would cost $1.02

Well, I'm pretty sure you cannot buy Italian sloppy joes anywhere, since I have never really seen another recipe for it.  

If you were to make regular sloppy joes, you would pay $1 for the can of mix and upwards to $4 or more for the beef depending on how lean you want it.  Buns for sloppy joes are $1.29.   So, regular sloppy joes would cost $6.29 for the meal.  Assuming that you could make 8 sandwiches from this recipe, each sloppy joe would cost $.77.

Summary 

Regular Sloppy Joes -- $.77

Italian Sloppy Joes -- 1.02

While regular sloppy joes are cheaper, they really do not compare in taste to Italian sloppy joes.