Our version of Fleischkuekle

Tonight we had a favorite dinner--something resembling Fleischkuekle! 
Dan and I both have vague memories of eating something like this somewhere, and we started experimenting a few years ago with ground beef, cabbage, and a hankering for calzones.  Here's tonight's version:

Browned ground beef, onions, cabbage, and garlic salt

Frying in vegetable oil in cast iron skillet

Remove with tongs--they are hot!

Ready to serve with ketchup and mustard!

The ground beef was raised by members of our church so was, of course, delicious already.  The onions and cabbage were from our garden.  For the cabbage, I cut it into wedges and put it through the food processor slicing blade.  We browned the meat and onions, then added the cabbage and cooked just until it was not crispy.  

For the dough, I used my new favorite homemade tortilla dough recipe from Dining on A Dime (a great cookbook, by the way!)
Here it is, doubled to serve 7 hungry Redhages:
6 c. flour
2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
Mix together in stand mixer, then add:
1 c. shortening (I had half vegetable shortening and half margarine on hand tonight, and it worked fine)
Mix until crumbly, then add:
1 1/2 c. warm water
Add more flour as needed to make it not too sticky.

Roll out golf ball sized lumps until about 1/8 inch thick and 6-8 inches across.  My new silicone rolling pin and mat from Cousin Penny were great for this!  (her online store is Not Your Mama's Kitchen)

Put a few spoonfuls of the meat filling into the middle of the dough circle, fold over to make a half-circle, and seal by pinching or folding the edges together. 

Set carefully into hot oil, and use tongs to flip over after a few minutes. 

Drain on paper towels, and serve! 

We usually like these best with regular ketchup and mustard, but you can be creative with sauces. 

Easy Beans and Biscuits

Tonight we have just the boys home, so we made an easy supper with side dishes of macaroni salad and fresh pineapple.  
Here's the main dish:

Beany Hot Dog Biscuit Bake

1 large can baked beans

6 cooked hot dogs, cut up

Ketchup and mustard to taste, depending on the beans

Combine in 2 qt. casserole dish.

Top with biscuit dough or refrigerator biscuits.

Bake at 400 for 20 min or until biscuits are brown.

Biscuits

2 c. flour

1 T. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

 ½ c. shortening

1 c. milk (3/4 for cutout biscuits)

Combine dry ingredients, cut shortening into mixture. 

Stir in milk. 

Drop onto baking stone or casserole.

Bake at 450 for 10 min. or until brown.

(for cutout biscuits, roll out ½ inch thick and cut with biscuit cutter)

Feeding The Monkeys...our new food blog

Keeping the family fed is always a challenge at our house, and I have a hard time remembering our successes so we can recreate them.  This blog is an attempt to record what works so that our family and others can have a head start on getting good meals to the table in time to keep the little ones happy! 

Tonight's success:
Simple Goulash

We have a lot of good recipes, but sometimes you just need something that you can throw together while dealing with other pressing matters, like waterguns or an ant infestation. 
Tonight, we had goulash with watermelon and cantaloupe. 
The Goulash: 
Brown hamburger, ground turkey, or ground pork (about 1 pound, or whatever you have handy) with chopped onions in Dutch oven-type pan.  Drain fat off.
Add to hamburger one or two cans of diced tomatoes with the juice, then add a couple of cans of water to rinse the remaining tomatoes into the pan.  Tonight, I used one can of tomatoes and one fresh tomato just for fun.
Add one small (1 pound) bag of macaroni, or measure out about 8 servings worth of uncooked macaroni.
Season with minced garlic, paprika, garlic salt, and/or Penzey's Northwoods Seasoning as you wish.
Bring to a boil, then simmer with the lid on the pan until noodles are done.  If the water is all absorbed into the noodles, stir in as much ketchup as you like to make all the macaroni slightly red.  If there is water standing around the cooked noodles, drain it off before you add the ketchup. 
Serve with ketchup and garlic salt for a happy family.  :)