The Quilted Bear Bears in a Blanket - Rouladen

8 slices (3 oz, each) top round steak, cut 1/4 inch thick

1 t. seasoned salt

1/4 C. spicy brown mustard

1 large onion, sliced

2 to 3 T. olive oil

16 strips bacon (cooked crisp)

8 dill pickle spears (optional)

Flour to coat

3/4 to 1 C. vegetable oil to cook meat

5 cans (about 11 oz. each) beef broth, or enough to cover meat

1/2 C. (1 stick) melted butter

1/2 C. flour

Pound slices of meat with mallet on each side to make uniform in size. Spread meat out on work surface. Divide seasoned salt, then mustard over pieces of meat.

Saute onion in olive oil until tender. Divide over pieces of meat, setting onions in center of each piece. Put 2 strips of bacon over each portion of onion, cutting bacon strips to fit as needed. Add pickle spears if desired, cutting to fit. Roll each piece of meat into sausage shape, starting with side closest to you. Put 2 toothpicks in each roll to hold it together.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat vegetable oil in medium skillet with high sides. Coat each meat roll with flour. Brown on each side, turning as needed. When brown, transfer to 13-by-9-inch pan.

Add stock to pan, then cover with foil. Cook in preheated oven 45 minutes. Remove from oven and remove meat rolls from stock. Set aside and keep warm. Maintain oven temperature.

Make roux by melting butter in small saucepan. Add flour and whisk until mixture is smooth and is thickness of medium gravy. Cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add roux to stock mixture, whisking until thickened. If thicker gravy is desired, prepare more roux and mix in.

Return meat to liquid and cook another 5 minutes or until meat is heated through. Serve over noodles and garnish with pepper strips, if desired. Make 4 servings; 2 rolls per person.