Enjoy!

This recipe is one of my mother’s favorites for pot luck meals. All of the goodness of stuffed cabbage rolls without the extra work of making the rolls. Plus, everything can be prepared in one deep pan on the stove top.

There is a lot of room for personalizing this dish. I like a little more tomato flavor to mine, so I add one can of tomato paste. For those who like rice in their cabbage rolls, rice can be added. For uncooked long grain rice, increase the liquid by two cups (water, vegetable or beef stock), and add one cup rice once the everything has reached a boil. The rice will absorb most of the liquid give the dish more body.

Ingredients

1½ to 2 pounds lean ground beef
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
½ cup water
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.
2. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, seasonings, and cabbage. Bring to a boil.
4. Cover and reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally,  for 20 to 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Note:Adjust seasoning to taste while simmering.

This cranberry sauce is best when made with fresh or frozen cranberries, but in a pinch whole canned cranberries can be used. The canned cranberries are usually in sugar, so substitute 2 cans of cranberries for 4 cups cranberries plus sugar.

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (12 oz package)
1 cup sugar
zest and juice of one large orange (⅜ cup juice)
½ cup water
whole stick cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine water and juice with sugar in medium saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. While syrup is heating, wash fresh cranberries in colander under running water. Remove any stems.
3. After syrup comes to boil, add cranberries. Return to boil.
4. Reduce heat to simmer/slow boil, add orange zest and cinnamon stick.
5. Stir occasionally, waiting for cranberries to burst.
6. Remove from heat, remove cinnamon stick. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Simple potato casserole recipe with a lot of flavor.

Ingredients

1 bag (32 oz) frozen hash brown potatoes, shredded
16 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
½ package Lipton onion soup mix
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1½ cups corn flakes

Preheat Oven: 350°F

Directions

1. Remove hash brown potatoes from freezer to let thaw slightly in bag.
2. Melt ½ cup (1 stick) butter in microwave safe bowl. Combine with sour cream,  soup, and soup mix; mix well. Add cheddar cheese; stir to combine.
3. Prepare 9x13x2″ pan with non-stick spray (or butter). Spread hash brown potatoes in pan. Evenly spread sour cream, soup, and cheese mixture over top.
4. Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter in microwave. Add corn flakes to butter and stir until butter is absorbed.
5. Sprinkle corn flakes evenly over top of sour cream mixture in pan.
6. Bake for one hour in 350°F oven.

This cake recipe was adapted from the KitchenAid mixer recipe book. Instead of the traditional cream cheese frosting, I opted to use the fluffy frosting.

Ingredients

Italian Cream Cake
5 eggs, separated
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1¾ cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Fluffy Frosting
1½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup water
1½ tablespoons light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1½ teaspoons vanilla

Preheat Oven: 350°F

Cake Directions

1. Place egg whites in mixer bowl. Using wire whip, whip until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Set aside egg whites in another bowl.
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugar in mixer bowl. Using flat beater, mix until light and fluffy. Continue mixing, add egg yolks one at a time, mix thoroughly. Stop and scrape bowl.
3. Mix flour and baking soda. Add half to sugar mixture, and mix to combine. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and remaining flour mixture. Beat to combine.
4. Add coconut and pecans. Mix at slowest speed until just blended.
5. Using spatula, gently fold in egg whites.
6. Pour batter into greased and floured 13x9x2″ baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Frosting Directions

1. Place sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water, and corn syrup in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved, forming a syrup.
2. Place egg whites in mixer bowl. Using wire whip, whip on high until egg whites begin to hold shape.
3. Continue on high, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites in a fine stream and whip 1½ to 2 minutes.
4. Add vanilla, continue whipping about 5 minutes, or until frosting loses its gloss and stands in stiff peaks.
5. Use immediately to frost cake.

Note: For best flavor, chill cake in refrigerator overnight before serving.