Loose Cabbage Rolls

My back-to-basics cooking includes vegetables that are versatile. One of the most adaptable is CABBAGE. We slice or chop it, add some grated carrots for slaw, sometimes use thinly sliced cabbage with tacos, we add it to green salads, and use it in any number of recipes (a list of our recipes with hot links follows today's featured recipe.). As a matter of fact Barry is in the kitchen making hamburger-vegetable soup that includes chopped cabbage. Years ago I went on an overnight wagon train trip through the Flint Hills. They served us pioneer-type food including a peanut butter filled cabbage. It was the most unusual use for cabbage I have found .  . . but not too bad!

We almost always have a head in our refrigerator. Most sources say cabbage will last about 3 weeks if refrigerated but I found a farm in Vermont that says it can last up to 2 months in the fridge.

Cabbage rolls or stuffed cabbage leaves are a favorite but labor intensive to prepare, so when my friend Susan Dyess shared this recipe for Loose Cabbage Rolls, I knew I had to give it a try. This casserole has all the components and flavor profile of cabbage rolls but is fast and easy to make . . . and that versatile vegetable—cabbage—plays a vital role in this recipe that Barry deemed delicious. Thank you Susan.

Note: The recipe did not specify whether to use cooked or uncooked rice. Checked out several online versions and some call for cooked, others call for raw. The one hour cooking time should actually cook the rice but you may need to adjust the liquid. I used cooked rice but doubled the amount called for in recipe. (In retrospect I think the 1/2 cup rice must refer to uncooked.)

Loose Cabbage Rolls   Makes ten 1-cup serving  (I did cut it in half for the two of us)
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
1 1/2 cups choppe onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (I used frozen chopped peppers from last year's garden)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup raw rice -- see note above in bold typing about rice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 teaspoon salt
1 12 teaspoon black pepper
About a 2 1/2 lb. head caggage, coarsely shreds
12 oz. V-8 juice (tomato juice with added flavoring could be used - garlic powder, onion powder, even a flakes Italian seasoning to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Sauté ground chuck, onion, green pepper and celery. Drain off grease if needed.
   
3. Add rice, salt and pepper.
   
4. Alternative layers of cabbage and meat mixture in 2-quart casserole dish. I started with half the meat mixture, added the cabbage and topped it with remaining meat mixture.
   
5. Pour V-8 juice over top of mixture. 
6. Cover and bake 1 hour. Check occasionally near end; if casserole seems dry, add a little water or even some tomato sauce.)
   

Cabbage Recipes on our blog include . . .
Asian-inspired Salad & Dressing
Asian Slaw, Crunchy
Beet Borscht
Brat & Cabbage Skillet
Cabbage Kielbasa Soup
Cabbage Kielbasa Soup - Barry's version
Cabbage, Sausage & Potato Soup - German inspired
Casserole-roasted Pork with Cabbage
Coleslaw with Mom's Celery Seed Dressing
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Crunchy Asian Slaw
Easy, Quick Sauerkraut by the Quart
German Red Cabbage
Irish Delight - Cabbage & Potatoes
Loaded Cabbage Soup
Pan-Fried Cabbage
Smoked Cabbage
Stuffed Cabbage or Cabbage Rolls

Recipe without photos . . .
Loose Cabbage Rolls   Makes ten 1-cup serving  (I did cut it in half for the two of us)
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
1 1/2 cups choppe onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (I used frozen chopped peppers from last year's garden)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup rice - see note above in bold typing about rice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 teaspoon salt
1 12 teaspoon black pepper
About a 2 1/2 lb. head cabbage, coarsely shreds
12 oz. V-8 juice (tomato juice with added flavoring could be used - garlic powder, onion powder, even a flakes Italian seasoning to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Sauté ground chuck, onion, green pepper and celery. Drain off grease if needed.
3. Add rice, salt and pepper.
4. Alternative layers of cabbage and meat mixture in 2-quart casserole dish. I started with half the meat mixture, added the cabbage and topped it with remaining meat mixture
5. Pour V-8 juice over top of mixture. 
6. Cover and bake 1 hour. Check occasionally near end; if casserole seems dry, add a little water or even some tomato sauce.)

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

On a cold spring evening (that seemed more like winter) a comfort food menu of Chicken Pot Pie and a side of simple slaw (sliced cabbage & shredded carrots w/ Mom's Celery Seed Dressing) hit the spot!

We actually doubled the recipe and shared a pie with a friend just home from the hospital.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie     6 to 8 servings

4 tablespoons butter 

3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

½ to 1 teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper 

1 cup chicken broth 

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or concentrate

2 cups cooked cubed chicken 

About 1 cup frozen peas 

1 to 2 medium potato, cooked and cubed

1 to 2 cups other vegetables such as cooked carrots, roasted peppers, sautéed celery, onions, mushrooms, etc
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Double unbaked pie crust  (to be posted soon)

Italian seasoning and paprika to sprinkle over crust 

1.    White Sauce: Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Stir in broth, milk and bouillon; cook until thickened. 

2.    Add chicken and vegetables; cool. Stir in shredded cheese.

3.    Preheat oven to 425º. 

4.    Pour chicken mixture into pastry lined pie plate. 

5.    Top with second pie crust. Trim edges, seal and flute or crimp. Cut a few small slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and paprika.

6.    Bake 35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Allow pie to sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

Variations:  

·     Instead of cooking potatoes and veggies, roast them instead.

·     Add 3 tablespoons hulled and salted sunflower seeds and call this “Sunflower Pot Pie.”

·     Substitute cooked ground beef or sausage for the meat.

Recipe without photos . . .

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie     6 to 8 servings

 tablespoons butter 

3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

½ to 1 teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper 

1 cup chicken broth 

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or concentrate

2 cups cooked cubed chicken 

About 1 cup frozen peas 

1 to 2 medium potato, cooked and cubed

1 to 2 cups other vegetables such as cooked carrots, roasted peppers, sautéed celery, onions, mushrooms, etc
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Double unbaked pie crust 

Italian seasoning and paprika to sprinkle over crust 

1.    White Sauce: Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Stir in broth, milk and bouillon; cook until thickened,  

2.    Add chicken and vegetables; cool. Stir in shredded cheese.

3.    Preheat oven to 425º. 

4.    Pour chicken mixture into pastry lined pie plate. 

5.    Top with second pie crust. Trim edges, seal and flute or crimp. Cut a few small slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and paprika.

6.    Bake 35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Allow pie to sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

Variations:  

·     Instead of cooking potatoes and veggies, roast them instead.

·     Add 3 tablespoons hulled and salted sunflower seeds and call this “Sunflower Pot Pie.”

·     Substitute cooked ground beef or sausage for the meat.

Easy Chicken & Noodles - a HIS & HER version!

    My mom makes the BEST homemade chicken and noodles but in a pinch, packaged egg noodles work for us.

     Using the 65 cent a pound chicken legs and thighs that we bought recently at Zey’s Market, we cooked up a batch of Easy Chicken & Noodles. They were “Um Um Good,” and, of course we served them atop a scoop of homemade mashed potatoes.
     Oh yes — in our household we make "HIS & HER" chicken and noodles . . . see photos at bottom of the post!

Easy Chicken & Noodles

About half a chicken (I used 2 thighs and 2 legs but any parts or a whole chicken may be used

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (about ½ to ¾ tsp. ground thyme)

1 sprig fresh sage (about ½ tsp. dried sage)

1 bay leaf

¾ to 1 teaspoon onion powder

¾ to 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Water to cover

Chicken concentration or chicken bouillon cube, optional

1 (8 to 12 oz.) pkg. egg noodles (more or less as desired)

Cornstarch slurry for thickening (mix about 1 to 1½ teaspoons cornstarch with a enough cold water to create a runny paste, optional

Fresh herbs for garnish, if desired

---

Mashed potatoes

1.  Place chicken, herbs, seasonings and water in pot. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer, with lid on, for about an hour or until chicken is tender and begins to fall off the bone.

2.  Remove herbs and discard. Remove chicken and let cool, then pull meat from the bones; cut into bite size pieces.

3.  Let broth cool and skim off excess fat.

4.  Taste broth and adjust seasonings if needed. Chicken concentrate or a bouillon cube could be added to boost the flavor.

5.  Bring broth to a boil, return chicken pieces, and add noodles. Check package directions for cooking time.

6.  If you choose to thicken the broth, add the cornstarch slurry when noodles start to become tender. Continue to cook just until mixture thickens.

7.  To serve: Place a scoop of mashed potatoes in a bowl and top with chicken and noodles. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

HIS noodles — thickened with a cornstarch slurry.

HER noodles — with broth.

Recipe without photos . . .

Easy Chicken & Noodles

About half a chicken (I used 2 thighs and 2 legs but any parts or a whole chicken may be used

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (about ½ to ¾ tsp. ground thyme)

1 sprig fresh sage (about ½ tsp. dried sage)

1 bay leaf

¾ to 1 teaspoon onion powder

¾ to 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Water to cover

Chicken concentration or chicken bouillon cube, optional

1 (8 to 12 oz.) pkg. egg noodles (more or less as desired)

Cornstarch slurry for thickening (mix about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch with a enough cold water to create a runny paste, optional

Fresh herbs for garnish, if desired

---

Mashed potatoes

1.  Place chicken, herbs, seasonings and water in pot. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer, with lid on, for about an hour or until chicken is tender and begins to fall off the bone.

2.  Remove herbs and discard. Remove chicken and let cool, then pull meat from the bones; cut into bite size pieces.

3.  Let broth cool and skim off excess fat.

4.  Taste broth and adjust seasonings if needed. Chicken concentrate or a bouillon cube could be added to boost the flavor.

5.   Bring broth to a boil, return chicken pieces, and add noodles. Check package directions for cooking time.

6.  If you choose to thicken the broth, add the cornstarch slurry when noodles start to become tender. Continue to cook just until mixture thickens.

7.  To serve: Place a scoop of mashed potatoes in a bowl and top with chicken and noodles. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

Pork Stir-Fry . . . on the Fly

     Stir frying is a great way to use up leftovers . . . and that’s what we did with a section of pork loin that was left after making Smothered Pork Chops. Barry cut it into chunks and we sliced and chopped veggies that we found in my sister’s refrigerator, along with some onions from her pantry. 

     A solution of cornstarch mixed with cold soy sauce and some chicken stock added flavor to the mix plus created a light sauce.

     We served the stir-fry over rice and topped the dish with crispy rice noodles. Not only is stir frying a great way to clean out the fridge, it is a fast way to get a meal on the table . . . even if you don't have a wok! 

Stir-Fry Pork & Veggies    Serves 4

A handful of baby carrots, sliced on the diagonal

About ½ to ¾ cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

About ½ to ¾ cup cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

About ½ to ¾ lb. pork loin chopped into bite-size pieces

½ of an onion, sliced

½ of a green pepper, sliced

2 to 3 ribs of celery, cut on a diagonal

Ingredients for thickening sauce: 2 Tbsp. cornstarch ½ tsp. granulated sugar, 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. chicken concentration or a bouillon cube (optional), 1 cup cold water – mix cornstarch with sugar and then add remaining ingredients and have ready for step 4.

Cooked rice

Crispy rice noodles

1.  Partially steam the carrots, broccoli and cauliflower florets. Drain.

2.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium high heat until hot, Add meat; stir fry, stirring almost constantly, until meat loses pink color and begins to brown.

3.  Add sliced onions, pepper and celery; cook and stir until tender-crisp.

4.  Add steamed veggies

5.  Add thickening sauce (see ingredient list above); let mixture boil and thicken, stirring and watching closely. Add more water if  sauce becomes too thick.

6.  Serve over hot rice and top with crispy fried noodles.

Also check out our recipe for Chicken Stir-Fry, 

Recipe without photos . . .

Stir-Fry Pork & Veggies    Serves 4

A handful of baby carrots, sliced on the diagonal

About ½ to ¾ cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

About ½ to ¾ cup cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

About ½ to ¾ lb. pork loin chopped into bite-size pieces

½ of an onion, sliced

½ of a green pepper, sliced

2 to 3 ribs of celery, cut on a diagonal

Ingredients for thickening sauce: 2 Tbsp. cornstarch ½ tsp. granulated sugar, 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. chicken concentration or a bouillon cube (optional), 1 cup cold water – mix cornstarch with sugar and then add remaining ingredients and have ready for step 4.

Cooked rice

Crispy rice noodles (the kind that comes in a can)

1.  Partially steam the carrots, broccoli and cauliflower florets. Drain.

2.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium high heat until hot Add meat; stir fry, stirring almost constantly, until meat loses its color and begins to brown.

3.  Add sliced onions, pepper and celery; cook and stir until tender-crisp.

4.  Add steamed veggies

5.  Add thickening sauce (see ingredient list above); let mixture boil and thicken, stirring and watching closely. Add more water if sauce becomes too thick.

6.  Serve over hot rice and top with crispy fried noodles.

Barry’s “Mmm Mmm Good!” Bean & Bacon Soup

Barry's Bean & Bacon Soup served in
his handmade pottery bowl that is setting
on one of his pottery plates.

     I still remember when my mom brought home a can of Campbells® Bean and Bacon soup. Of course I grew up during the Mmm Mmm Good!” era, a time when Campbells soup was the sole sponsor of my favorite TV show – Lassie.

     As I remember, the soup was just okay. But, Barry’s homemade version is really “Mmm Mmm Good!”. . . and, it was even better the second day.

Barry’s “Mmm Mmm Good!” Bean & Bacon Soup

7 or 8 slices of chopped bacon + about 1 cup+ of ham pieces (he used ham trimming and the combination of both bacon and ham equaled about 1½ cups total)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Scant 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 (16 oz. cans) great northern or navy beans – do not drain (he used one of each)

3½ cups water

1 teaspoon beef concentrate (Barry uses McCormick® brand)

1 teaspoon chicken concentrate (McCormick® brand)

Chopped chives for garnish – fresh or dried

.

1.     In a heavy stock pot, cook ham and bacon trimmings for a few minutes, allowing time for bacon to partially brown Add the oil and onions; season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.

2.     Sprinkle flour into the mixture and stir to mix as meat and onion continue to cook.

3.     Add water mixed with the beef and chicken concentrates.

4.     Add 2 cans of beans with liquid. Stir mixture and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

5.     When ready to serve, garnish with chopped chives.

Recipe without photos . . .

Barry’s “Mmm Mmm Good!” Bean & Bacon Soup

7 or 8 slices of chopped bacon + about 1 cup+ of ham pieces (he used ham trimming and the combination of both bacon and ham equaled about 1½ cups total)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Scant 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 (16 oz. cans) great northern or navy beans – do not drain (he used one of each)

3½ cups water

1 teaspoon beef concentrate (Barry uses McCormick® brand)

1 teaspoon chicken concentrate (McCormick® brand)

Chopped chives for garnish – fresh or dried

.

1.     In a heavy stock pot, cook ham and bacon trimmings for a few minutes, allowing time for bacon to partially brown Add the oil and onions; season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.

2.     Sprinkle flour into the mixture and stir to mix as meat and onion continue to cook.

3.     Add water mixed with the beef and chicken concentrates.

4.     Add 2 cans of beans with liquid. Stir mixture and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

5.     When ready to serve, garnish with chopped chives.