Kraut Burgers

1. Stage

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, shortening and salt. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until it's smooth and elastic, six to eight minutes.

2. Stage

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease it on all sides. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about one hour.

3. Stage

While the dough rises, cook the beef in a large skillet over medium heat until it's no longer pink. Drain off the fat. In a large saucepan, cook the shredded cabbage and onion until they're tender. Editor's Tip: For fewer dirty dishes, choose a single skillet or saucepan large enough to fit all the cabbage and onion. Cook your beef in that pan, then move it to a large bowl after draining off the fat. Use the same pan to cook the vegetables—you don't even need to wash it in between.

4. Stage

In a large bowl, combine the beef, cabbage mixture, salt, pepper and seasoned salt. Let the filling sit while you prepare the dough. Editor's Tip: As you season the filling, taste bits of it and keep adjusting until the flavor is rich and savory.

5. Stage

Punch down the dough, divide it in half, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll each half into a 16-inch square and cut each square into sixteen 4-inch squares. Place 1/4 cup of filling in the center of each square. Bring the corners over the filling and pinch them together to seal the kraut burgers. Editor's Tip: Since there's no rising time between forming and baking the buns, this is a good time to preheat the oven to 425°F. If you're having trouble getting the dough to stick to itself when sealing the buns, lightly moisten the edges with water before pinching them.

6. Stage

Place the buns, seam-side down, on greased baking sheets and immediately place them into the oven (do not let them rise). Bake them for 10 minutes at 425°, then reduce the heat to 350° and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, transfer them to wire racks and brush them with melted butter. Serve them warm. Editor's Tip: You can use parchment paper instead of greasing the baking sheets for less mess. To avoid getting melted butter on your counters, re-use those pieces of parchment by placing them under your wire racks to catch drips.