Bierock Casserole

Growing up in Kansas, I have enjoyed Bierocks (some call them Runzas) all my life. The yeasty Bierock (or Runza) sandwich have German-Russian roots that eventually made their way west to Nebraska and Kansas. You can find these sandwiches at county and state fairs, craft shows and just about any fund-raiser in Kansas most any time of the year. About 15 years ago a friend I worked with, gave me this recipe for a casserole instead of a sandwich. We love it almost as much as the real deal! Note: I use only name brand crescent rolls. The cheaper ones don't seem to work as well. Also the original recipe called for only 1 can of cream of mushroom soup. We personally like the soupier mixture but you can omit the second can if desired.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 1 9 x 13

Ingredients

• 1  medium head of cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef
• 2 (15 ounce) cans  cream of mushroom soup
• 2 (8 count) packages  crescent rolls
• 1 1⁄2 cups cheese, shredded
• 1  carrot, finely shredded
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef and onion together until the meat is no longer pink. Drain well.
2. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot; steam until they are tender.
3. Combine the beef and cabbage mixture, soups and seasonings together and keep warm.
4. Lightly spray a 9"x13" pan or casserole with cooking spray.
5. Take one package of the crescent rolls and lay out in the bottom of the pan. Press lightly to form a "crust" and sealing as well as you can. Press gently up the sides of the pan about 1/4" - 1/2" high.
6. Bake crust in a preheated 350 degree oven about 7 minutes to give it a chance to bake thoroughly.
7. Take the pan out and pour the hamburger & cabbage mixture over the undercooked crust.
8. Sprinkle with cheese.
9. Take the 2nd package of crescent rolls and break apart along the seams and lay on top of the pan.
10. Bake another 35 - 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. (I will lift up the bottom to make sure that the bottom crust is done before removing from the oven. If you think the top is getting too brown, just top with foil until finished baking).