Polish Mistakes – A Spicy Hamburger Holiday Treat

Polish Mistakes
-A Rev Family Recipe For the Holidays

Everyone has their own traditions that remind them of the holidays. For some it’s decorating the Christmas tree, for others spinning a dreidel, making snow angels or imbibing with copious amounts of holiday “cheer” just to put up with screaming kids, cranky parents and shoveling snow. For me, my favorite holiday reminder is a food item.

Every holiday season we would drive from my home in Detroit to visit my Grandma in Oil City, PA. Without fail, moments after we would walk in my Grandma would offer up my father a vodka slushie and hand me a plate of her “Polish Mistakes.” We come from a proud Germanic and Irish family so I have no idea why or how these got the name. I have heard others call them “SOS’s,” “Hanky Pankies,” and as I found out when I served them at Jay and Aaron’s holiday party this past weekend; “Monroe Pizzas.” Essentially, they are bite sized spicy cheese burgers and let me tell you, they are addictive like heroine or crack (I assume.) They’re really easy to make and a sure fire crowd pleaser.

INGREDIENTS

1 LB ground turkey (or beef)
1 LB hot pork (or turkey) breakfast sausage
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP Worcester sauce
1 LB Velveeta
2 loaves of party rye

In a large pot combine the ground meat and sausage. Cook on high until it’s completely browned.

While the meat is cooking in the pot, cube the Velveeta into small chunks.

Once the meat has completed browned, add oregano.

Then add the garlic powder.

Follow with the Worcester sauce and then stir the entire mixture well.

Once mixed thoroughly, add in the Velveeta chunks.

Stir completely until the Velveeta is completely melted and mixed throughout.

Using a large table spoon, scoop a nice sized dollop onto a piece of the party rye. Arrange them on a tray and bake at 450 degrees until the bread is crunchy (approx 10-15 minutes).

Allow the cooked Polish Mistakes to slightly cool off.

Then serve…

and enjoy all the compliments!!

If you are making them to take to a party you can cool the mixture off by placing it in a bowl in the fridge. Then you bake them upon arrival. You can also make them completely, freeze them and then just reheat.

You can thank me by leaving a comment on how these went over at your holiday party!

-Rev Ciancio