Kraut Burgers

Rick's mom made these often for him when he was growing up. I keep forgetting to get her actual recipe (I'm sure I've gotten it numerous times and have lost it), and since we were craving them today, and she was at BYU all day, I had to just go off of memory. They turned out great and the boys devoured them!

Don't let the dough scare you off, as it's so simple to make and only rests for an hour, which is plenty of time to cut everything up and get the mixture cooked thoroughly. This recipe makes 24 large rolls and would be easy to cut in half. I ate two, the boys each ate two, and Rick had four + one later tonight! Hopefully that gives you a good idea of how many to plan on. If you end up with extras, you can easily freeze them, either after they're cooked or uncooked.

Whenever Jane makes these, she will also make extra dough and make "pigs-in-a-blanket" for the kids. They bake the same amount of time, so it's a fun addition when you have younger kids or are feeding a crowd.

Dough

1/2 c. warm water
4 t. active dry yeast
4 T. sugar
1 3/4 c. warm milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. butter softened
2 t. salt
7-8 c. flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water (make sure it isn't hot or it will kill the yeast). Once it starts to activate, add all the other ingredients and knead for 8 minutes (either with a mixer or by hand). Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth; let it rise until double (about an hour). Punch down and divide in half. Roll dough out on a floured surface, into a rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 12 squares. Fill each square generously with the hamburger filling. Fold in two opposite corners, then the other two corners and pinch into a little "purse" so all the ends are secure (making sure to not stretch the top of the bun too thin). Spray cooking spray onto a cookie sheet and place the rolls seam side down. Continue with the second batch of dough, so you end up with 24 rolls total. Let the rolls sit for about 20 minutes to rise (this step isn't completely necessary if you're in a hurry). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until nice and golden brown. Once they are out of the oven, rub tops with a little butter. Serve with mustard and ketchup.

Filling

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped
1 lg. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. sauerkraut (optional)
olive oil

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan, and cook onion until translucent. Add garlic and stir a few times. Add hamburger meat and stir, breaking up the chunks into small pieces. Add cabbage and sauerkraut and cook for at least 15 minutes, until all cabbage is soft and looses it's color. Drain any excess liquid off and it's ready to be used.