A Small Batch Nebraska Runzas#BreadBakers

Runzas? You might wonder, “What is a runza?”
Runzas are a cherished part of the regional cuisine of Nebraska. A runza is a classic, savory buttery bread filled with beef mince, cabbage, spinach and onion filled sandwich, which is baked in a pocket of yeasted dough. They are so amazing, delicious and filling!
Their origin is that they are from Russia or Germany, and came to the U.S. via the Volga Germans who settled in Nebraska, Kansas, North and South Dakota in the 1900s. The shape depends on the region. In Nebraska, runzas are shaped into an elongated roll.
The bread for these runzas is super soft and light, and the dough is very easy to work with. It's enriched with butter, eeg and milk. This recipe makes 3 runzas, make a larger batch and freeze, they reheat perfectly.
Makes 3
Ingredients

For The Dough
150 Grams All Purpose Flour
3 Grams Instant Yeast
6 Grams Caster Sugar
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
20 Grams Salted Butter
60Ml Warm Milk
Warm Water - to knead as required
1 Egg Yolk
1 Egg Yolk + 1 Tablespoon water - for brushing the buns
For The Filling
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
250 Grams Lean Beef Mince
½ Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Cup Shredded Cabbage
½ Cup Chopped Spinach
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
½ Cup Shredded Cheese
Method
For The Dough
Dissolve the yeast in the water and let sit for a few minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk.
In a bowl, add the milk, melted butter, eggs, and yeast mixture. Whisk until combined and pour it into the flour mixture. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until you have a rough dough. Add little water at a time to make a nice soft dough then knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic and till it passes the window pane test. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover, place it in a warm spot, and let rise for 25 to 30 minutes.

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. 
Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the Worcestershire sauce, cabbage, spinach and cook, stirring regularly, for about 6 - 8 minutes. Generously season the mixture with red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper to taste. It's best to over season the filling ( it does not taste bland).
Turn off the heat and let the filling completely cool. You can make this filling day ahead and cool it in the refrigerator.
Let's Make The Runzas 
Once the dough has doubled in size then. 
Punch the dough and divide dough into 3 equal pieces ( each weighed around 93 grams), gently forming small balls.  
Roll each piece of dough into rectangle circle (middle of the circles a little thicker than the edges. If the dough is too thin in the middle, it gets kind of see through on top when baking).
Place shredded cheese. Spoon the filling over cheese and again cheese
pinch edges of dough (dip your finger in warm water and run it along the edge of the dough) together to form slightly elongated / oblong bun.
Transfer bun, seam side down, to prepared baking sheet keeping them little apart so that the stick together while baking (they will be like pull part buns with soft sides). Repeat with remaining dough and filling, placing buns on baking sheet. Cover buns with plastic wrap or wet kitchen towel and let rise until puffed, about 20 minutes.
Brush the buns with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven @ 180°C with both elements on until golden brown, about 18 - 20 minutes, switching and rotating position of baking sheets halfway through baking time. 
Brush buns with melted butter or rub the buns with a stick of butter while they are still warm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving. 
Serve with ketchup or just like this !
Labels: American, Beef, Bread Bakers, Cabbage, Cheese, International Cuisine, Mince, Spinach, Stuffed Bread

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.
For Bread Bakers this month we sharing "Stuffed Buns Recipes"

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Risgrøt - Norwegian Rice Porridge#EatTheWorld

Risgrøt is a festive Norwegian creamy rice porridge / pudding, made with rice and milk, topped with cinnamon powder, sugar and butter. This is traditionally served on Christmas Eve for breakfast or as a dessert after a meal, it's  heartwarming, makes a delicious satisfying treat. I have added fresh cream at the end to give this a rich and creamy taste. When I visited Norway they served us this pudding and its was so delicious and creamy.

When Camilla chose this country for this month theme, this was the first dish that came to my mind and as I, was researching about it, read some unique history of this dish. On Christmas Eve, they usually have risgrøt for lunch and hide a skinned whole almond in the porridge (so it’s not easy to find). Then whoever finds the almond wins the julegris / Christmas marzipan pig! Whoever finds it tries to be very secretive about finding the almond so that everyone keeps eating more and more porridge in the hope that they’ll be the winner. I loved this cool secret behind this dish and the pleasure that one gets when we follow/celebrate traditions with family and friends.

Ingredients
½ Cup Short Grain White Rice
1½  Cup Water
5 -6 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
2½ Cups Whole Milk
2 Tablespoons Salted Butter
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
3 Tablespoons Fresh Cream
Method
Add the rice, water in a saucepan and cook (without cover) until most of the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
Add the milk, vanilla, cardamom powder and  sugar continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently so the porridge doesn't stick. Cook until the porridge is as thick as you would like. Then add the fresh cream and switch off the flame. 
Serve it with a sprinkle of sugar, cinnamon and a small cube of  butter. You can also serve this with a topping of fresh berries this is optional.
Enjoy this delicious pudding!
Labels: Norway,  Rice, Pudding, Porridge, Dessert, Eat the World, Gluten free, International Cuisine, Milk
Check out all the wonderful Norwegian recipes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!
For Eat The World we are sharing recipes of Norway. 

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Tendli and Potato Fry#SundayFunday

This is a very simple and tasty vegetable. Its a side dish can be had with rice and dal, rotis or phulka.
Ingredients
250 Grams Tendli / Tindora / Ivy Gourd - cut into round slices
1 Large Potato - cut in small round slices
1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
2 Green Chillies - finely chopped
1 Medium Onion - sliced
¾ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Sugar
3 Tablespoons Oil 
For Seasoning 
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
5 - 6 Curry Leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida
Method 
Wash the tendli, snip of the ends and chop into thin round slices.
In a pan, heat the oil, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the onions and fry till oily and translucent ( do not fry till pink because we want to retain the sweetness of the onions) , then add the green chillies and curry powder, fry well for 2 minutes. 
Then add the potato and tendli fry on high flame for 3 minutes. Place a lid and keep water on it. Reduce the flame to low and let it cook on steam. After 3 to 5 minutes and open the lid and give it a quick stir. Sprinkle a little hot water from the lid, add salt, sugar and again it a quick stir, cover with the lid, again add water on the lid and let it cook till the tendli is cooked. Serve hot with rotis or phulka.
This sabji tasted really good so simple yet tasty. The tendli was so tender that gave an awesome taste to the sabji.
Labels: Sunday Funday, Tendli, Potato, Side Dish, Vegan, Gluten free, Indian, Vegetarian, Keto
For Sunday Funday we are sharing recipes made with "Fresh Vegetables"
  • Creamy Italian Ranch Corn & Green Bean Salad from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
  • Curry Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus from A Messy Kitchen
  • Garlic Basil Wax Beans from A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Garlicky Margherita Pizza from Amy's Cooking Adventures
  • Pan-fried Chicken with Curried Leeks and Lentils from Food Lust People Love
  • Pinzimonio from Culinary Cam
  • Roasted Chinese Eggplant from Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Tendli and Potato Fry from Sneha's Recipe
  • Veggie Mac & Cheese from Mayuri's Jikoni   
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    Ribbon Pakoda/Ola Pakoda#Alphabet Challenge

    This is another addictive savory snack. Ribbon Pakoda is a snack that I enjoyed in my young age and still love eating it. When my daughter was schooling this was a regular snack that was in her tiffin. This is also called Ola Pakoda in Tamil. During festival eating to many sweets one gets tried, you want something spicy and this snack balances that sweetness. Try this addictive and super easy snack.
    Ingredients
    2 Cups Chickpea flour / Besan
    1 Cup Rice flour
    A Pinch Asafoetida
    1 Teaspoon Red chilly powder - adjust to taste
    1 Tablespoon White butter
    1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
    Oil for deep frying
    Method
    Sieve the rice flour and besan thrice.
    In a bowl mix all the above ingredients together, add water little at a time and knead it into the soft dough.
    Make the dough a little soft so that the it can be squeezed easily from the murukku maker. This is plate that is used to make the ribbon / ola pakoda.
    Heat oil in a kadai.
    Grease the inside of murukku press with oil. Make a ball and put in the murukku press and press it directly in the oil. When they turn light golden brown, flip the side and cook till light golden. Remove pakoda and place it on a tissue paper to drain the excess oil.
    Let it cool completely and then store it in an airtight container. Repeat the same for the remaining dough too. You can keep this for a month and enjoy this as a tea time or tiffin snack.
    Labels: Savory Snacks, Festival Sweets, Chickpea flour, South Indian, Tamil Nadu, Alphabet Challenge
    Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet Challenge 2026 - Alphabet "P"

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    Corn Patties /Corn Potato Chops#SundayFunday

    Corn Potato Chops (patties) are crispy, delicious melt in the mouth savory snack. These are coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden.
    Maks 13 Chops
    Ingredients
    For The Covering / Shell
    ½ Kg Potatoes - boiled & mashed
    1 Teaspoon Salt
    4 Medium Bread Slices - Lightly soaked and mashed
    3 Tablespoons Corn Flour
    For The Corn Filling
    2 Cups Sweet Corn - boiled
    2 Tablespoons Oil
    1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
    1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
    ½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
    ½ Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
    1 Teaspoon Chaat Masala
    1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
    Salt To Taste
    2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves
    4 Green chillies
    4 Cloves Garlic
    Method
    For The Corn Filling
    Coarsely grind together the coriander leaves, green chillies and garlic along with a cup of sweet corn to a coarse paste. Add this mixture to whole corn and mix well and keep aside.
    In a pan heat oil, add cumin seeds when they sizzle, add the onions and saute until translucent, then add the corn mixture along with spices, salt and fry for a few minutes, then cover and cook for another 2 minutes. Stirring in between. Switch off the flame, let this mixture cool completely.
     
    For The Covering / Shell
    In a large plate peel the boiled potatoes and then grate them when they become warm. Mash them with your hands or a potato masher or fork. Let the mashed potatoes cool at room temperature.
    Once cooled add the rest of the ingredients well. Form it into a dough. Divide into 13 equal balls, keep aside covered

    Making Corn Potato Chops

    Grease your palm with oil, flatten one ball of potato mixture, place a tablespoon or more of the corn filling.Bring the edges in the center and cover the stuffing. 
    Shape with your palms by rolling it firmly to make around pattice. Make all the rest of the chops.
    Roll in crumbs and keep aside.
    Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a griddle or broad frying pan on medium high flame. Place the stuffed Corn Potato Chops by leaving sufficient space in between so that you flip them easily. Do not over crowd the pan or else they will break. When one side becomes golden and crisp, then turn over gently with a spatula and fry the other side. Fry the second side till crispy golden and turn over again. Flip a couple of times if needed to get an even golden color and crisp texture. Remove them on a paper kitchen towels to remove excess oil.
    Serve with ketchup or chutney.
    Labels: Corn kernels, Potato Chops, Vegetarian, Starters, Appetizer, Indian,Sunday Funday
    For Sunday Funday we are sharing recipes with "Corn"

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