Spanish Mince Bread, Potato Soup, Dinner Rolls

by Beverly Tjerngren

It has been cold, cold, COLD here lately, and big, hearty dinners are just the thing to keep the chill at bay. This Spanish Mince Bread is a recent discovery of mine, but it already feels like an old family classic.

Spanish Mince Bread

This is a great all-in-one meal that's easier to make than you'd think. Add some brown gravy and a side of green beans and you've got a feast!

Bread

• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 packet dry yeast
• 2-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 egg

Filling

• 2/3 pound ground beef
• salt
• pepper
• 1½ Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 medium-sized yellow onions
• ½ pound mushrooms
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• egg

Warm milk to 110-120°F (45-50°C). Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl.

Mix salt and flour together, and add with butter and egg to the yeast mixture. Work into a dough and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about one hour..

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Peel and chop the onions. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Brown them separately in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Peel the eggs and cut them into wedges.

Roll out the bread dough in a thin 12x15-inch rectangle. Grease a loaf pan and lay the dough in the pan so that the excess hangs over the sides (this will cover the filling and be the top of the loaf).

Layer the ground beef and the other ingredients inside the bread dough. The top layer should be ground beef. Fold the excess dough over and around the filling so that it is completely covered. Seal the "lid" by brushing beaten egg on the dough before folding it. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake loaf for approximately 30 minutes. Serve warm.

This recipe actually is an old family favorite, taught to me by my mom.

Potato Soup

• 6-8 medium-sized potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup of diced bacon
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• ½ cup mashed potato powder
• salt and pepper

Cook the bacon and onions in a skillet over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Put potatoes, bacon, and onions in a Dutch-oven type pan and add about 2-3 quarts water. Boil until potatoes are tender. Stir in mashed potato powder. Add half-and-half. Heat through and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve these quick and easy dinner rolls with potato soup and you've got a delicious, filling meal.

Dinner Rolls

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups milk
• 2 packets dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 5-5½ cups all-purpose flour

Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in milk and warm to 110-120°F (45-50°C).

Stir milk mixture into yeast in a large bowl. Add salt, sugar, and most of the flour, saving a little for kneading. Work into a firm dough, kneading on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about an hour.

Punch down the dough and knead lightly a couple of times. Roll into 24 two-inch balls. Place two inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place 30-60 minutes.

Heat oven to 425°F (225°C) and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.