Ways with Cabbage

This week across the nation cabbage, a wonderful vegetable, is on sale! This week one store has it for .18 a pound!! That is cheap! I remember though it used to be like .09 cents….Listen to me talking like an old timer!

Cabbage is a vegetable that many people struggle to think of things to do with…but there is so much more than coleslaw to it!

Last Sunday we had a cabbage salad that was amazing!!
It had finely (very finely) shredded cabbage, like paper shreds cabbage, some purple cabbage, a shredded carrot, an english cucumber (not peeled) washed, quartered and thinly sliced into the salad.
She added one spoon of a mixture of finely diced green onion and dill weed that she had frozen in the freezer, drizzled with olive oil, salt, some Mrs. Dash, and fresh squeezed lemon juice… She stirred it and let it sit for an hour or so. It was so good!!!

We also had some cabbage rolls which was very simple as well.

Cabbage Rolls

1-2 heads cabbage heads, steamed and cored (Use a sharp knife and cut out the stem and the hard part of the cabbage, steam the cabbage in a covered glass bowl in the microwave or on top of the stove, until the leaves are pliable, cool slightly)
1.5 lb. ground meat
1 onion (blend in blender with a little water so you have onion puree)
1 cup rice, partially cooked….(Mix 1 c. rice 1.5 c. water, heat to boiling, turn down to low and simmer on low for 10 minutes)
Salt, pepper, seasoning salt whatever you want.

Mix the meat, onion,and rice together with seasoning. You have to eye how much you think it needs, about a 1 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper etc.
Place about 2 T. in one cabbage leaf roll and make small tight rolls that look kind of like egg roll size. You can make big ones, but they are messier. On the bottom of a crock pot that is lightly greased, place layers of these until the cabbage leaves are gone or crock pot is full.

In a frying pan heat 1 c. heavy cream and 1 16 oz. tomato sauce until hot. Add salt to taste. Pour over top the cabbage rolls and cook on low for 4-6 hours. If your crock pot cooks hot, you may want to add some beef broth.

Serve with mashed potatoes or plain with salad.

One of my husband’s favorite soups is Borcht…
Here is how his family taught me to make it!!
RUSSIAN BORSCHT
Start with a pot according to the amount you want to make.
I usually make about 2 gallons so I’ll tell you that size. You can boil a bone to get broth or add cooked meat and bouillon or you can make it meatless. Fill pan 1/3 full of cubed potatoes (about 1-1/2″ cubes) and fill with water or broth. Add salt to taste. Simmer until potatoes are soft; add 1/2 head cabbage very finely sliced. Meanwhile in a frying pan brown 1 diced onion
in 1 Tbsp. oil, add 1 grated carrot when onion is yellow, and fry a little. Add 1 grated fresh beet or about 5 small canned beets grated. Fry a while. Add 1 small (8 oz.) can tomato sauce and 1-2 cans water. Simmer about 5 minutes. Add to large pot. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add a bay leaf and 2 tsp. dillweed.
Serve with sour cream on top.
NOTES:
Some people also put a little rinsed sauerkraut in instead of some of the cabbage.

Here is a more American way to use cabbage…
LAYERED DINNER

1 lb. ground beef, cooked
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked & diced (save grease)
carrots, sliced
cabbage, sliced
potatoes, sliced
canned green beans (if you want)
salt
1/4 c. flour
2 c. milk
Layer beef, bacon, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and green beans in a roaster pan. Salt each layer lightly. Add flour to the bacon grease and stir until smooth. Add milk slowly, bring a boil and cook 1 minute or until thick and smooth. Salt and pepper to taste; pour over top of casserole. Bake at 350 for about one hour or an hour-and-a-half, until potatoes are tender.
NOTES:
You can basically use any vegetable you want to, I have done it without the bacon, but I like the flavor the bacon gives. You can also do it with cream of mushroom soup if you would like to instead of the bacon/white sauce.

So, there are a few different options for you as you are going to go and use up cabbage this week!
Also, remember, if you keep it cold, it will store for a very long time!!

When we lived in MN, we were given a bunch of canned cabbage, and although I do not recommend that, it did taste fine and we used it in this amazing cabbage casserole that had a cheesy sauce and bread crumbs. Even people who hated cabbage loved it!

Cabbage is a more versatile vegetable than you think….and if you don’t want to eat it, but are having trouble with engorgement while breastfeeding or infections, a leaf in your bra can help relieve that, but don;t leave it too long or you can loose your milk.