Cabbage Rolls

I had an excess of cabbage this week so I decided to try cabbage rolls for the first time. The hubby was blown away by how delicious they are. However, some lessons learned - They blew up like ballons in the oven, so, apparently, I shouldn't have rolled them so air-tight. I will probably poke a hole in the tops next time. Secondly, they weren't very tender. I will probably do the crockpot rather than oven method next time or boil the cabbage longer. Otherwise, I have a feeling I will be making these quite often. Next time I might add in some sausage with the beef.

https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/stuffed-cabbage-rolls/

Baked Corned Beef and Cabbage

Wow what a week! Coronavirus is turning everything upside down. The positive is that I've had more time to get back in the kitchen and type up the recipes I've been trying. This week was St. Patrick's day, so I managed to snag a brisket from the grocery store and cook up some corned beef and cabbage in a 13x9 pan. It was sooooo yummy! I know I have a splash of Irish in my genetics and I can't get enough potatoes and cabbage in my diet. One word of caution-don't add salt if you buy pre-seasoned corned beef. It is already plenty salty enough in the end. [I ended up having to add rice on day 2 for a Corned Beef, Cabbage and Rice stew in the crockpot-so good!] I will post the Pistachio Pineapple Dessert I made to go with it separately.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/27024/baked-corned-beef-and-cabbage/

Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

This year for St. Patrick's Day, the hubby requested Corned beef and cabbage. In the past, I have usually bought the Corned beef pre-made, but this year, I decided to make my own. I was short on time so I decided to use the instant pot. It still took 2 hours because it takes about 10 minutes for it to pressurize and then about 5-10 minutes for it to de-pressurize after. I followed the directions to cook the beef in the broth first, then remove and cook the veggies in the broth second. It was a great idea! The cabbage, carrots, celery and potatoes tasted delicious with the beef. We ended up adding Sauerkraut and Russian dressing on top, almost like a Reuben bowl. Then later in the week, I cooked chicken to eat with the leftover veggies-twice good! I served a pistachio cake for dessert and enjoyed an evening of green. :)

https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2017/03/instant-pot-corned-beef-and-cabbage.html

Cabbage Rolls with Pomegranate Reduction (AIP)

We've been overdoing the sugars and fats, so we're trying to get back on the healthy path. Since we have an abundance of sausage, I'm now always looking for healthier dishes particular to pork. This recipe suggests lamb but German Sausage worked just as well. Also, I didn't want to mess with cutting up pomegranate, so I left out the seed in the stuffing and used pomegranate juice for the reduction. It tasted very asian with the ginger and cabbage. The sauce was a "sweet and sour" flavor that we absolutely loved. I would definitely make this one again for guests.

http://www.beyondthebite4life.com/2014/11/paleo-stuffed-cabbage-with-pomegranate-reduction-aip-friendly.html

Carolina Coleslaw

The hubby grew up in Virginia and has always preferred the vinegar versions of BBQ. I had some leftover cabbage from my recent (over) purchase--I tend to go overboard when I see a sale. :) I came across this recipe. I didn't stay 100% true to the ingredients; per the hubby, it's okay to add mayo, so I did. I also didn't use green pepper; used 1/2 red and 1/2 green cabbage; used chopped red onion; and always use apple cider vinegar. This is probably one of the best coleslaws I've tasted in a long time. #winner

https://www.thespruce.com/carolina-slaw-3053928

BIEROCKS (GERMAN STUFFED ROLLS)

I'm in the following (amazing) facebook group: Homesteading with Patara of Appalchia's Homestead
I get a ton of good homesteading tips as well as anecdotal stories to read and share. A few days ago, someone posted that they were able to get cabbages for 15c/lb, so I went to my local grocer and found them for 25c/lb. I was so excited I bought 8 head! I also have been working on my bread-making skills so I decided it was time to make bierocks from scratch.

I'm so glad that I've spent the past week using my Mixer Bible to learn tips and tricks about bread making, such as warming up the mixer bowl in warm water, warming up the stove or microwave as a place to let the dough rise, and making sure the temp of melted butter and milk is at 100 degrees F so it doesn't kill the yeast. I also had made lasagna the night before and had leftover beef/sausage/onion mix. I put the cabbage in a pan and added the meat and was done in a flash. [The sausage also added a nice spice.] Finally, I sprinkled shredded cheese for extra yumminess. The one thing I forgot to do is add egg and/or butter to the tops, but it still was a hit with the family. After watching a couple of YouTube videos, I decided to make it like a pie with 2 pieces of dough, one placed on top and pinch the edges. If you're looking for a short cut, Rhodes rolls are a great alternative.

Next project is homemade sauerkraut and repeat this recipe replacing the cabbage with sauerkraut. :)

https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/bierocks/