- Nebraska Life Magazine, January 2011
See the recipe for Willa's Runzas at the bottom of this page. Thanks, Fairfax Book Club, for your gracious hospitality on March 14. : )
Nebraska State Historical Marker was dedicated on August 9, 2010 at the Rock Island Wreck Site! Check out the details in "The Buzz," along with reviews, recent book signings, and photos.
SYNOPSIS
It is 1894, and Nebraska’s glittering state capital draws young Bud Gardner away from drought and poverty towards a precarious existence within his uncle’s saloon, extended family and eccentric circle of bootleggers. But amidst the whores, oddballs, and shady characters of Lincoln’s Haymarket district, Bud discovers Anna Marie, a fiery Czech girl—and the deadly forces that connect Chicago ‘s railroad strikes, Omaha’s slaughterhouse riots, a grisly Lincoln train wreck, and a local black man that has “conveniently” been accused of causing it.
Weaving together an intriguing storyline with the real historical events and luminaries of turn-of-the-century Lincoln, Nebraska, including John J. Pershing (commanding the Nebraska Corps of Cadets), Willa Cather (reporter for the State Journal), and Charles Dawes (lawyer and future Nobel Peace laureate), Barrelhouse Boys is a fictional romp through the gaslight era that shouldn’t be missed!
Willa’s Runza Recipe and Sauces
2 pounds frozen roll or bread dough, thawed (or your favorite homemade recipe)
2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 Tbl. Worchester Sauce
1/4 Cup catsup
2 tsp. salt
Ground pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbl. milk or cream
Sea salt & ground pepper to garnish
Let thawed dough rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Or preheat oven to lowest setting, then TURN OFF and place rolls inside for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, brown hamburger thoroughly in large skillet, then drain off most of the fat and set aside meat. Combine cabbage and onion in same skillet; with lid on, simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cabbage, Worchester Sauce, catsup and seasonings to hamburger mixture. Stir and let cool a bit.
Divide dough into 12-15 pieces (approximately 1/3 cup). Roll each ball thinly between two sheets of floured wax paper to make a 5 or 6-inch circle. Place about 1/3 cup meat filling on each circle of dough, then bring up edges and pinch together. Place runzas seam side down on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Baste each with a mixture of egg and cream, then lightly sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until nicely browned.
Serve warm or at room temperature with various sauces (see below).
Makes 12-15 runzas, depending on how big you make them.
