Friday, May 28, 2010

No Time For Bierocks

Do you ever crave bierocks? Wait - maybe that's just me. I really like bierocks, but they take time to make. I don't have an excess of bierock-making hours in my life. So, I cheat. And the result is quite tasty. Here you go:

Bake some fresh rolls. Brown some ground beef and simmer it with a bag of shredded cabbage, a chopped onion, a cup of water, and lots of salt, pepper, garlic. Eat the rolls and the meat mixture together.

The above recipe just sounds too simple to be trusted, doesn't it? Ok, I'll fluff it up a bit. Same ingredients, more words:

First, put some frozen roll dough to rise. Or, if you're really pressed for time, use the frozen pan rolls that you just pop into the oven. But buy a good, "homemade" type brand, not a simple brown-and-serve that you find in the bread aisle. Now, brown a pound or two of ground beef in your largest skillet. I use a 12-inch skillet. If you don't have a large one, use a Dutch oven. Brown the meat well, so that some of it actually turns brown - it will have a much better flavor than if you were to just stir the beef around until it's sort of wet-cement-colored. Next, add one onion, diced. Then dump in a bag of shredded cabbage. I prefer to use the "coleslaw blend" because it contains a bit of shredded carrot, too. This will take up all the room in your skillet, but don't worry, it will cook down. Sprinkle the mound of cabbage liberally with salt and garlic powder, grab the pepper grinder and be generous with it, then add a cup of water. Slap on the lid, lower the heat to a simmer, stir occasionally. When the cabbage is almost tender, put the rolls into the oven to bake. Check the ground beef-cabbage mixture, taste it, and add more salt and pepper to taste. To serve, simply scoop a mound of the yummy meat mixture into a freshly baked roll and enjoy.

There, that's it! Now you can't say that you have no time for bierocks.

Orange-Cheese Danish

Soooo easy. And soooo good.

What you'll need:

2 (3 oz. ea.) pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 can refrigerated Orange rolls (house brand or Pillsbury)
reserved icing from rolls
2 to 4 Tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds (optional)

What you'll do:

Mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, milk, and almond extract in a smallish bowl. Separate the dough into strips and place on a lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Put the strips side-by-side, with the cinnamon mostly facing up. Spread the cream cheese mixture across the center of the dough strips, leaving a few inches on each side bare. Now, bring the ends of the dough strips to almost meet each other over the cream cheese. Just fold them over gently. Don't press down. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow the dough to cool for 5 or 6 minutes, then drizzle with the orange frosting. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired. Serve warm.