Co-worker's Kraut Burgers make good office lunch

One day while I was sitting at my desk at work, I smelled a wonderful aroma coming from the break room. One of my co-workers had heated her lunch in the microwave.

I couldn't help but ask what she was having for lunch. She had heated up a Kraut Burger that she had brought from home. Kraut Burgers not only smelled good, they also sounded so good.

Kathy brought me the recipe and over the weekend I made Kraut Burgers. What a sandwich! This is one sandwich I could get a craving for often. I will keep some on hand for a quick meal as they also freeze well.

Kraut Burgers

2 loaves bread dough, thawed

1/2 bag sauerkraut, well drained

1 pound hamburger

1 medium onion, sliced

Thaw frozen bread dough just until thawed. Cut into bun size pieces. While bread is thawing, brown hamburger with sliced onion. When hamburger is browned, add well drained sauerkraut. Season with pepper. Cool hamburger mixture just until warm. Roll out each piece of bread dough. Put filling in the middle of the dough, wrapping the dough around the filling and pinching the top of the dough so the filling is enclosed. Place pinched side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a light towel and let raise until buns are double in size. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until the buns are lightly browned.

I made the bread dough in my bread machine but let the dough raise just slightly. I rolled out my buns on a lightly floured board. I then froze the stuffed buns before raising. One evening I just thawed the buns, let them raise until double in size and baked them. Kathy bakes her buns first and then freezes them. Both ways works well.

Pork Loin with Sauerkraut

Serving size: 8

5 pounds pork loin roast

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 1-pound cans sauerkraut

1 teaspoon caraway seed

2 medium apples

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse roast and place in center of roasting pan. Sprinkle top with pepper; roast, uncovered, for 2 hours. Drain and rinse sauerkraut. Turn into a large bowl; stir in caraway seeds. Wash, core and slice apples; stir into sauerkraut. Remove roast from oven. Spoon fat from pan. Carefully pour in boiling water. Stir to loosen browned juices in bottom of pan. Spoon sauerkraut and apples around roast. Cover tightly with roaster lid or foil and roast until meat thermometer inserted in middle of roast, away from bone, registers 170 degrees, about 30 to 60 minutes. To serve, spoon sauerkraut onto serving platter. Sprinkle top with brown sugar, if desired. Place roast in center and carve at table, or slice roast and arrange over sauerkraut.

Pumpkin Bars

Serving size: 20

4 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

15 ounces canned pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon clove

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin. Sift rest of ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 12x12x1-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese

3/4 stick butter, softened

1 tablespoon cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cooled bars.

GARY'S TIP: To give leftover mashed potatoes a new flavor, combine with chopped onion and shredded cheese, then bake them. They taste like twice-baked potatoes.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Did you ever notice that when it comes to restaurants, the lower the lights the higher the prices.