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.

Dilly Ham Sandwiches

This recipe dates back to pre-microwave days. It's the best ham sandwich ever! I think the credit goes to Pat for this one.

1 cup real butter
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1/4 cup mustard
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 lb. thinly sliced deli ham
sliced Swiss cheese
1 dozen potato rolls

Mix the first 4 ingredients and let set overnight in refrigerator. When ready to prepare, spread butter mixture onto split rolls. (If you can't find potato rolls, use sweet Italian or another good roll) Now pile on the shredded ham; top with cheese. Wrap in foil and store in freezer. To serve, heat foil-wrapped sandwiches in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.

These are great to have on hand in the freezer. If you prefer to heat them in the microwave, simply wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap instead of foil. Heat carefully in the microwave, or the bread will become tough. I really prefer to cook these in a regular oven, because it seems to improve the flavor.

Mom's Sloppy Joes

Mom has been making these for as long as any of us can remember! It's one of the first recipes I got from her when I was in my teens. I don't know of anyone who doesn't love these sloppy joes.


Brown 1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef with some chopped onion. Add 4 to 5 Tablespoons of brown sugar and one bottle of chili sauce. Simmer over low heat until it has thickened. Serve on buns. This is also great in the crock-pot, especially if you are making a larger quantity. Just brown and drain the ground beef and stir in the onion, brown sugar and chili sauce. Cook on low for several hours.

Darci's Tuna Salad

It seems like a dubious honor to have my own tuna salad, but it gets rave reviews. My friends won't make their own tuna when I'm around, and J once accidentally offended me by claiming that the best dish I prepare is tuna. He insisted that it was a compliment. So, here goes:

Combine a can of tuna with a large teaspoonish amount of mayonnaise and a forkful of relish. Add the following:

a few shakes of garlic powder

a few shakes of onion powder (and/or a palmful of dried minced onion)

a few shakes of basil, crushed

enough dill to create a thin layer over everything

many, many shakes of lemon pepper

When you can no longer see the tuna, you've got it all right. Stir together, and if you want to be really classy, add some grated apple. Otherwise, slap it on some bread and have an excellent tuna salad sandwich.

There it is, folks. My secret revealed.

Crabmeat Muffins

These are rich and oh, so good! Makes a great lunch or supper dish, or you can cut them into wedges and serve as an appetizer.




1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 drops Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 oz. imitation crab meat, chopped
4 English Muffins, split and buttered
Paprika


Blend together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, onions, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and pepper. Stir in crab meat. Place split muffins on cookie sheet. Spread with crab mixture and sprinkle with Paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Makes 8 open-face sandwiches.