Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:
Cabbage Rolls

1 large head green cabbage, about 2 to 2¼ pounds
2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs (not necessary, you can leave them out, but they do make the meat fluffier)
1 medium onion, grated or minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup raw long-grain white rice *

Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (medium dice)
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce or one 32-ounce can whole tomatoes, pulsed in a food processor with juice until pureed.
juice of one lemon or 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) apple cider vinegar
¼ to ¾ cup light brown sugar (Depending on amount of sweetness you prefer. Start with ¼ cup and taste sauce, adding if you like it sweeter. If you prefer it completely savory, add only 1 tablespoon brown sugar and the juice from half a lemon)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup golden raisins (optional)
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. When the water comes to a boil, fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut out as much of the core as you can from the bottom of the cabbage, then drop the whole, cored head into the boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the leaves separate and are pliable, immediately remove and drop the blanched leaves that separated (or whole head if all the leaves did not separate) in the ice water. Once cooled down, remove and pat the leaves dry. Repeat with any leaves still attached to the head that aren't pliable, if necessary. Alternatively, If you've got time on your hands, you can freeze the wrapped head of cabbage for two days then defrost. The leaves will peel off easily and be soft enough to roll.

Here's some other ideas from readers, although I have yet to try them so I cannot confirm that they work. 1. Place the cabbage in the microwave for 6 minutes. The core will slip right out and the leaves will be perfect for rolling. 2. Take a knife and shave down the vein on each cabbage leaf, but they still need to be softened to roll, so you'd still have to blanch them (extra work), so I'm not sold on this one. 3. You can also throw the whole head in the boiling water without coring it. The leaves just won't separate on their own, but are still easy to peel off.

Set aside about 16 of the largest leaves for stuffing and rolling, then chop some of the remaining leaves to make 1 cup of chopped cabbage and reserve.

Mix the ground beef with the eggs, grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and rice. (If you use cooked rice, you can test the seasoning of the meat mixture to your liking by frying up or microwaving a piece of it and tasting, if desired). Divide this mixture into sixteen 2-ounce balls. Using moistened hands, form the balls into cylinders. Place a cylinder of filling near the bottom of a cabbage leaf (if the vein in the leaf is really thick, shave it down with a knife before placing the beef on it, being careful not to cut through the leaf itself.). Begin to roll it up, folding both sides over the filling, and finish rolling to enclose the filling, like an eggroll. Continue, filling and rolling all the cabbage leaves. Place them, seam side down, on a tray or baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a heavy, nonreactive saucepan. Sauté the second onion until soft and golden. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, then add the reserved chopped cabbage and sauté briefly.

Add the tomato sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Increase the heat until it comes to a boil, then lower it and simmer for 5 minutes. Add raisins now, if using.

Line of the bottom of a 13 x 9 roasting pan or glass dish with a layer of sauce. Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, on top of sauce. Top cabbage rolls with remaining sauce then cover the whole pan with tin foil. Bake for 2 hours in a preheated 350F oven

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Directions

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer.Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

Cauliflower Cheese Sticks

Ingredients:

¼ of a large head of cauliflower “riced”
1 tsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg (white), lightly beaten
½ cup mozzarella cheese
½ tsp. Italian seasoning, divided
Marinara Sauce for dipping

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.

To “rice” the cauliflower, use your cheese grater (or food processor). When you’re done, you should have about 1.5 cups lightly packed. Place the riced cauliflower into a microwavable bowl and microwave until softened, about 5 minutes depending on your microwave (no need to add any water, drain).

While that is cooking, heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat and add your garlic until softened. When your cauliflower is softened, add the garlic mixture, lightly beaten egg white, Italian seasonings, and 3/4 of the mozzarella. Stir and mix well, then spread onto your prepared pan.

Bake until they start to turn golden brown; about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the loaf over so the bottom side is now on top and add the remaining cheese and a sprinkle more of the Italian herb seasoning. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.
Cool (until they harden slightly) and cut into pieces and serve hot or warm. Heat up marinara sauce and serve.

P.F. Chang's Mongolia Beef Copycat Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound of flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
vegetable oil, for serving and sauteeing
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, not packed
vegetable oil, for frying
2 large green onions, sliced on the diagonal into one-inch lengths
cooked rice, for serving
steamed broccoli, for serving

Instructions:

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick 1-inch long slices. Add the cornstarch to a wide, shallow bowl and coat the steak with the cornstarch. Set aside and allow the cornstarch to soak into them meat while you make the sauce.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-low heat in a wok or large cast-iron or stainless steel frying pan. Add the ginger and garlic, saute until fragrant about 2 minute, stirring often.

Add the soy sauce and water then whisk in the brown sugar. Turn heat up to medium-high, bring to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes (not longer - the mixture will thicken up when you add it to the steak) whisking often. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Add 1/2 to 3/4-inch oil to the same pan and heat over medium heat until the oil shimmers. You can test it by adding a piece of steak - it should sizzle and start cooking immediately.

Add the beef to the oil and cook for about two minutes turning the pieces over so they brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider to a paper towel lined plate.

Let oil cool down - then drain off.
Heat the same pan over medium heat and add the meat back in along with the sauce and green onions. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring to coat the meat all over with the sauce.

Remove the meat and leave the excess sauce behind. Serve over rice with broccoli, if desired.

Summer Vegetable Tian

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium potato
1 medium tomato
1 tsp dried thyme
to taste salt & pepper
1 cup shredded Italian cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saute both in a skillet with olive oil until softened (about five minutes).

While the onion and garlic are sauteing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables.
Spray the inside of an 8×8 square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish. Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Bourbon Style Crack Chicken (crock pot style)

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbls. cornstarch
2 tbls. extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or more if you like a stronger ginger flavor
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper - or more if you like it spicy
2 tbls. applesauce, sweetened or not
1/4 cup bourbon or whiskey
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tbls. ketchup
1 tbls. cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lite soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk all ingredients into a crockpot. Add chicken and coat with mixture.
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Serve over rice.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp garlic powder
22 oz (6 1/2 cups) cauliflower florets
3/4 cup Hot Wing Sauce
1 tbsp melted unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly spray a large non-stick baking sheet with oil.

Combine the water, flour, and garlic powder in a bowl and stir until well combined.

Coat the cauliflower pieces with the flour mixture and place on the baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes.

While the cauliflower is baking, combine the hot sauce and butter in a small bowl.

Pour the hot sauce mixture over the baked cauliflower and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with ranch dressing if desired and celery sticks.

Mini Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans (14.5 oz each) green beans, drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup French-fried onions

Directions:

1Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 4 (7- or 8-oz) individual baking dishes (ramekins) with cooking spray.2In large bowl, mix green beans, soup, garlic and pepper flakes. Divide mixture evenly among baking dishes. Top with onions.3Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until bubbly and onions are golden brown.

Goulash (Paula Deen)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 bay leaves 
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 
2   (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 
2   (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce 
3 cup water 
3 cloves garlic, chopped 
2 large onion, chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef 
1 tablespoon Paula Deen Seasoned Salt
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Pasta Skillet

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Hillshire Farm Smoked Turkey Sausage, sliced
1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about two fresh cloves)
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
8 oz dry pasta (any small pasta will do)
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
1/3 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Instructions:

Add olive oil to a 4-5 quart saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover for about five minutes to allow cheese to melt. Top with sliced scallions and serve.

Makes about 4 servings.

Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 Medium Size Potatoes
2 - 3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Butter
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F). Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1 1/2-2 pounds boneless pork chops
1/3 cup honey
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat grill or griddle to medium heat.  In a small mixing bowl, combine honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and garlic.  Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.  Brush each pork chop with prepared sauce on both sides.  Place pork chops on hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes on each side (or until cooked through), basting frequently.

Easy Cheeseburger Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cups (6 oz) Penne Pasta
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef (95% lean) - or you can use ground turkey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
28 oz diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 cups reduced fat grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain Well.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the beef and cook until browned; season with salt and pepper. Add the diced tomatoes and mustard. Let the mixture bubble until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with your salt and pepper.

Put your noodles in the greased pan and pour your meat sauce on top. Slightly mix together your noodles and sauce. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and remove your foil. Add your cheese on top and stick back in the oven until the cheese is melted.  (5 to 10 minutes). Serve while it is warm.

If you decide to freeze do NOT add cheese just leave that off for now and add at time of baking.
 

Homemade Marinara

Ingredients:

8-10 tomatoes (mixed Roma & on-the-vine)
1/2 yellow or white onion
Garlic, 4-5 cloves, peeled
Olive oil
Basil
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Tomato sauce, 8oz

Directions:

Chop all the ingredients up and put it into a 9x13 pan. Toss it with olive oil and seasonings. Stick it in the oven at 200 degrees for 3 hours. You want everything to be nice and mushy. Put it in a blender or food processor and puree. Add your can of tomato sauce and puree some more. The sauce should be pretty smooth. Taste it and add extra seasonings as needed.

You could probably even add parmesan or Romano and give it a cheesy flavor at this point.

This makes 2 pint size jars. If you will be using this quickly, ok, if not consider canning or freezing.

BBQ Chicken

Makes 2 bagged meals

Ingredients:

Divide between 2 bags:

3 sweet potatoes, cubed
1 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
4-5 chicken breasts, diced

In each bag, place:

8oz tomato paste
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Close up bag, mix a bit and freeze

To cook:

Add 3/4 cup water and mixture to crockpot and cook on low 8 hours

Chicken Lo Mein - One Pot Wonder

Ingredients:

½lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
12oz whole wheat linguini or fettuccini, broken in half
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thin 3 inch long strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin 3 inch long strips
1 bunch green onions, white part sliced and green part cut in 3 inch long strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Add the chicken, then the pasta, then the remaining ingredients to a large stockpot and cover. Bring to a boil. Stir and reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.

Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
¾ pound lean ground beef
½ c onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
½ cup water
2 T sugar
1½ t dried basil leaves
½ t fennel seeds (I usually omit this)
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T salt (I usually reduce to a couple teaspoons)
¼ t ground black pepper
4 T chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles (regular or no cook. I usually use no cook noodles.)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ t salt
¾ pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
¾ c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until cooked through and browned.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water, and stir everything together.

Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 T salt, pepper, and 2 T parsley, and stir to combine.

Simmer, covered, for at least 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. I usually try to simmer for as long as possible.

If using regular lasagna noodles, cook according to package instructions and drain.

In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

To assemble, spread 1½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese.

Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Baked Chicken (tastes like it's fried)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic
1/3 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 chicken legs
1/2 cup butter, melted
Red Pepper Flakes (your discretion)

Directions:

Heat oven to 425.

Mix the flour, salt, garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes and pepper in a bowl.

While you are mixing your coating, you'll want to have the butter melting. Melt the butter in the microwave.

Dip the drumsticks into the butter, coating them completely. Then roll in flour mixture to coat them completely. Then, dip them in the butter again and back once again into the flour mixture. You want them to be double coated so as to be extra crispy.

Put the drumsticks in an ungreased or foil lined square pan.

Bake, uncovered, until done. It usually takes about 45-50 minutes.

Yields 6 drumsticks.

Italian Wonderpot

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 oz fettuccine

8 oz frozen chopped spinach

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion

4 cloves garlic

1/2 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

freshly cracked pepper to taste

2 oz. feta cheese

Directions:

1. Add four cups of vegetable broth to a large pot. Break the fettuccine in half to make stirring easier later, and then add it to the pot. Also add the canned tomatoes (undrained), olive oil, frozen spinach, onion (thinly sliced), garlic (thinly sliced), basil, oregano, red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
2. Make sure the ingredients are submerged under the liquid, place a lid on top of the pot, and then turn the heat on to high. Allow the pot to come up to a full, rolling boil over high heat then remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium.
3. Allow the pot to continue to boil over medium heat, without a lid, for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the pot every few minutes as it cooks to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom, but avoid over stirring which can cause the pasta to become sticky and mushy. The pot must be boiling the entire time.
4. After the pasta is cooked, crumble the feta cheese over top and serve.

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces flank steak, halved lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 12 ounces refrigerated fresh pizza dough
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups vertically sliced onion
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 orange bell pepper, cut into strips
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

1. 1. Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven. Preheat oven to 500° (keep stone or baking sheet in oven).
2. 2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak across the grain into very thin slices.
3. 3. While steak cooks, place dough in a medium microwave-safe bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover and microwave at MEDIUM (50% power) for 45 seconds. Let stand 5 minutes. Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a floured surface; pierce liberally with a fork. Carefully remove pizza stone from oven, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Arrange dough on pizza stone. Bake at 500° for 10 minutes or until browned and crisp.
4. 4. While crust bakes, return skillet to medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and bell peppers; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add steak; sauté 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and soy sauce. Arrange steak mixture over crust.
5. 5. Combine milk and flour in a 4-cup glass measuring cup; stir with a whisk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in cheese and remaining ingredients. Drizzle cheese mixture over pizza. Cut into 8 wedges.