Bierrocks

A few days ago, I posted a picture on Facebook of my bierrock creations and it seems that for those who knew what they were, everyone wanted the recipe.  If you aren't familiar with bierrocks, here is a little brief history provided by Kansas State University's Research and Extension department:

Bierock History
Both the bierock and the runza sandwich have German-Russian roots going back to the
18th century. The term ''bierock'' comes from the Russian word ''pirogi'' or ''pirozhki'' and is
the name for any food consisting of a filling stuffed into dough. The recipe was passed
down from one generation to the next, and was brought to the Midwest of America, and
particularly to the states of Kansas and Nebraska, by the Volga Germans. Originally
bierocks were served to ranch and field workers for lunch.

I know that you were dying to know, right?

My original recipe was adapted from a version that I found at AllRecipes.com.  I tend to find a lot of my first attempts at recipes here, but I tend to change them up a bit.  Let's be honest though - when do I ever follow a recipe that doesn't involve baked goods to the letter anyway?

Nearly Nell Style Bierrocks 

Ingredients 
2 bags of frozen dinner rolls (not Texas-sized; approx. 24 rolls)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound pork sausage

5 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 slices of American cheese, cut into quarters

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Allow rolls to rise according to package directions, or for 2-3 hours on greased baking sheets.
2. In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until browned; make sure there is no remaining pink color. Stir in cabbage, onions and salt with meat. Saute for about 20 minutes. Turn down heat to warm.
3. Take ball of dough and stretch it to form a 4-5 inch square.
4. Place one piece of cheese in center of square and top with a tablespoon of meat filling. Seal dough by bringing the four corners up and then overlapping them. Place pastry upside down on a baking sheet; repeat with remaining rolls.
5. Brush each roll with melted butter.
6. Allow rolls to rise for an additional 30 minutes and then bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 20-25 minutes.

Note: You'll also see a few in my picture that have some cheese melted on top.  Those are ham & cheddar cheese pockets!  Yum!  They are a great way to use up the rolls!  These also work great for the freezer.  Just make as directed, freeze, then microwave for about a minute and you've got an easy lunch!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars = fabulous

I've had the munchies all day today. It seems like no matter what I tried, nothing could quite satisfy my craving.  About 20 minutes ago I decided I wanted to bake something. I pulled down my cookbook and started thumbing through and settled on chocolate chip blondies.  But alas, I didn't have the necessary amount of brown sugar and a spontaneous baking session does not involve a trip to the store in my opinion.  So instead I went to AllRecipes.com and did a search for Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

What I found was the most wonderful instant-gratification dessert that I think I may have ever come across!  I'm talking less time to make than pudding!  (Okay, maybe a bit more prep time, but still!)  These babies go in the microwave and in five minutes or less, you've got yourself the answer to a chocolate chip cookie craving my friends.  And I must admit, they aren't too shabby either.  I would probably cook mine a little less than the recommended five minutes next time because I don't mind an undercooked cookie and these are nearing the overdone side in my microwave.  I guarantee there will be a next time!  That was too easy!  Now I'm off to find a glass of milk . . . here's the link to find the recipe!