Crusty Joes

The kids & I made bread sticks this morning & ended up with some extra dough. (Sigh...if only it was the $ kind...) I thought I'd use the extra for pizza crust & then remembered that I didn't have a pizza pan or another big baking sheet (or mozzarella, for that matter). So, I came up with this idea: Crusty Joes.

Sloppy joes in a deep pizza crust. I love the sweetness of the beef combined with the sharpness of the cheddar and yeasty-ness of the dough. Mmmm...

Ingredients:

1 batch bread/pizza dough (I suppose you could use the canned kind)

1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

3 Tbs white vinegar

3 Tbs brown sugar

1 1/2 cups ketchup

dash salt & pepper

1 1/2 cups cheddar (sharp is best!)

Squish your crust onto the bottom and up the sides (as much as possible) of a lightly greased 9 x 13" pan. Prick the bottom of it here and there with a fork so it doesn't bubble up. Bake it at 350F until lightly golden.

Brown the beef & onions in a pan. Drain the grease & stir in the remaining ingredients (except cheese). Top with cheese. Bake uncovered at 350F for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Serves 8.