Sloppy Joe Bread Bowls

Just as sloppy as the original, this savory ground beef blend is scented with chili, oregano, basil, garlic, and onion and then spooned into warm dinner rolls. A truly magical experience from the first messy bite to the last.

About the bread bowls: I used dinner rolls as the vessels for these sloppy joes. I baked off 6 thawed-from-frozen rolls while the sloppy joe mixture simmered. You can use any type of bread or roll you want - including the fresh-baked rolls sold in the bakery section of the supermarket. Since I used fresh-baked rolls, they were warm when I was ready to serve. To warm store-bought rolls, place them on a baking sheet and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Sloppy Joe Bread Bowls

1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup beef broth
1/3 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup frozen corn, keep frozen until ready to use
4-6 dinner rolls (use 6 if the rolls are smaller), warmed in the oven (see note above)

Brown the beef in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat and return the beef to the pan. Add the chili powder, oregano, basil, onion  powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs and spices are fragrant.
Add the broth, ketchup and Dijon mustard and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is thick. Stir in the frozen corn and cook for 2 minutes to heat through.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut a small "cap" out of each dinner roll. Fill each roll with the sloppy joe mixture and arrange the cap alongside.

Serves 4