So... I will admit to being one of "those people" that LOVES watching shows about regional foods. One thing I love to do when I travel is sample whatever local thing is in the area. The hubby is like that too... only right now he's totally focused on "Hot & Juicy Crawfish" in Vegas being the next "local" thing he has to try. And I won't argue that one since I love me some crawfish.
One thing that has always seemed interesting has been Runzas. Apparently a Nebraska thing... people say "midwest" but I live in the Midwest and we don't have them around Chi-town. So, when I was flipping through a Cooks Illustrated special issue of "Forgotten Foods" in the Grocery store and found a recipe for Runzas.... I was all over that. I will not let the fact they involve yeast dough throw me!!
I actually made these on a "snow day" where I stayed home from work. I whipped up the dough while I was eating my lunch, took about 5 minutes to do, then I left it on the counter for an hour and then popped it in the fridge to wait for dinner time.
That's so happy dough!!
I actually made the filling a couple days before... I refuse to buy the totally irradiated ground beef at the chain grocery store, which means that the shelf life of the stuff from the produce mart (which has actual butchers and not just people in white coats) is less. But it's ground beef... cook now, use later.
Oh, it's mixed with some chopped onion and about half a bag of cole slaw mix that I had leftover from something else. Smart shopping....
Now, filling them was a little tricky. I tried just doing it in my hands before I decided to FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS (really... you'd think a Technical Writer would follow instructions better than I do when it comes to recipes....) and I started using a bowl, which worked well. Roll out the dough, lay it in the bowl, put in a slice of American cheese, add meat, and then seal it up...
Threw them in the oven, and prayed to the Yeast Gods that all would turn out.