Crockpot Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

A family favorite traditional recipe that  I'm putting a twist on today in the kitchen.  I decided to make Mom's stuffed cabbage recipe( we also called them piggies in the blanket) but instead of  the tedious work that is involved in making those little cabbage rolls I will make it in my crockpot and call the recipe Crockpot Stuffed Cabbage Casserole.  Super easy and delicious.

 

Mom would rarely use any sauce in her original recipe but I love some color and have always added some to my recipe.

1 to 2  lb. ground pork (if you like lots of ground meat use around 2 lb.)( or if you prefer ground beef).
1 small to medium head cabbage
1-15 oz. can Hunts or any sauce of your choice 
1-14.5 oz. can sauerkraut,drained, optional
1 medium onion chopped or grated
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
10 oz. water

2 cups cooked rice cooked according to directions(minute rice is acceptable)

Cut head of cabbage in half and then in quarters.  Slice.  Place 1/2 can sauce in crockpot.  Layer, cabbage, sauerkraut, break off pieces of ground pork and continue layering until all meat is used. Finish with cabbage and add remainder of sauce and water and pour over top. (you can use beef but we enjoy pork in this dish). Set crockpot to low and allow to cook for at least 5 hours so that cabbage is tender.  

You can set your crockpot to high if you would like the cabbage to be ready earlier.

Serve over cooked rice.  Yummy!

Risotto(Rice) with tomatoes and spinach! Stove top easy!

Serve sauteed spinach on side if desired.

I have been a little under the weather but did make dinner tonight.  Enjoy!

My intentions today were to make Creamy Risotto with Arborio rice and tomatoes but after checking my pantry all I had was Basmati rice so I improvised this recipe and this is the dish I came up with.  Improvising comes in handy when you think you have all the ingredients to make a dish and find out you don't. lol

Everything about this dish was perfect.  We loved it and considering I adapted it I think you can make it either way.  I'll post my changes after the recipe and will note the ingredient changes with an asterisk*.



 1 bag baby spinach (washed and stems removed)*
2 T butter
2 plum tomatoes (seeded and diced)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 scallions or 1/4 cup sweet onion chopped
1 cup Arborio *Basmati rice
4 cups chicken broth
 2 cut in strips boneless chicken breasts (browned separately in oo)
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Stove top!

If you would like to add the baby spinach do so after all is completely and stir until spinach wilts or saute spinach separately in oo and add.

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt 2 T butter.  Add onions and cook until soft.  Add garlic and rice.  Stir constantly, add 1/2cup chicken broth.Watch carefully as rice will start to absorb the liquid.  Continue adding remainder of broth,  1/4 cup at a time until all broth is added.  Reduce heat and cook rice for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

When rice is done, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in remaining butter, spinach and 2 T diced tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with remainder of tomatoes.

Making use of some Fresh Strawberries:

I'm thinking ahead this year and remembering the high prices of strawberries come December so last week they had some beautiful strawberries at a reasonable price and I bought two pound..Picture perfect and sweet so I cut some up and used them on a piece of cheesecake (I freeze my cheesecake and pieces as well) and the rest I chopped in my food processor, sugared and froze for that December day I want some great strawberry shortcake..Here are some pictures.   Check and see if there are some,reasonably priced, and you could have fresh strawberries to share for the holidays... Enjoy!

I found some reasonably prices strawberries, cleaned them well , and froze both crushed and whole.

I use my food processor but a mini chopper works as well..

Either buying a nice pound cake or angel food cake makes for a quick dessert.

10/18/11