By Katie Gagne
My mom and dad loved Halloween. We had so many unique and fun costumes made by my mom when we were kids. My dad was like a big kid every year. He loved taking us out in the neighborhood and then stealing all our Snickers from our candy bags.
As we got older and didn’t need costumes or have an abundance of candy for Dad, Mom started making some really fun meals or dishes we had on Halloween and the days leading up to it. She made the best chili and pepperoni bread.
One of her most memorable recipes was simple but so good. She would take rolls and fill them with meat and top them with cheese, adding some ketchup or BBQ sauce, making what looked like coffins. This is a fun and easy recipe to try and one kids can help you make.
Coffins
Ingredients
Makes 6-8 servings
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- I use 85/15
- Hard Rolls/Sub Rolls
- They can be ones already baked or ones that need to be baked.
- 6-8 Slices Amercan Cheese
- Black pepper
- Garlic/Kosher Salt
- Onion Soup Mix 1 dry packet
Directions
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the beef. Season the beef with pepper and salt or garlic salt or use the onion soup mix if you prefer.
Take each roll and slice a thin portion of the top off.
With a sharp knife, cut around the insides and scoop out the bread leaving ¼ inch around the sides and on the bottom.
This is supposed to resemble a hollowed out coffin.
Place the bread you removed in a medium bowl and crumble it.
Place the hollowed out rolls on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350* or to the temperature on the package directions.
Drain the cooked meat and place in the bowl and mix together with the crumbled bread.
Stuff each coffin with the meat/bread mixture.
Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes or golden brown. Remove from the oven.
Top each on with a slice of American cheese, cut diagonally.
Place tops you removed earlier on the coffin on top of the cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted.
Cut in half and serve with ketchup or BBQ sauce for a bloody affect.
Serve with potato chips.
Cook up those recipes: check out more Hooley here!
Speech by Mary Lou McDonald at “Preserving Our Past, Rising to Our Future” Moore St conference
