Mary Anne's Halloween Monster Joe’s - KTUL.com - Tulsa, Oklahoma - News, Weather & Sports

If you like Sloppy Joes, you must give these a try. The sauce is sweet yet tangy, giving these Joes the perfect flavor combination. These Monster Joes will be a big hit at your next family dinner or Halloween party.

2 pounds lean ground meat (Ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, minced, optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup barbecue sauce, I prefer Head Country

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 heaping Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce or Tabasco sauce, optional

8 -10 Hawaiian bread rolls, cut in half

Or

4 hamburger buns cut in half

Green olives stuffed with pimento

BBQ sauce, for topping

• Insert toothpick into olives horizontally so that olives resemble "monster" eyes. Place on plate and set aside. Sauté meat in a medium-size saucepan. Stir and cook about 8 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink and fully cooked. Drain and rinse meat in a colander, if needed. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and jalapeno, if using. Sauté' about five minutes more, until veggies are soft and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add meat to veggie mixture.
• Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot sauce, if using, into the skillet. Stir. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Place Halloween Monster Joe mixture onto each roll bottom. Then, top with top half of Hawaiian roll or hamburger bun. Place two olives on top of Monster Joe's. Drizzle extra BBQ sauce on plate to make it look like it's coming from the Monster Joe's mouth. Serves 4-6 . Be sure to serve with a dinner fork.

Note: You can substitute dash of cayenne pepper for hot sauce and green bell pepper for one of the other bell peppers.