Stovetop 'Cabbage Roll' Casserole
Casserole Ingredients:
1 head Cabbage
2 lbs Ground Beef (or gound pork, or a mixture of both, or whatever you prefer)
2 Tbsp Onion Flakes
1 Tbsp Garlic
3 Tbsp Parsley
2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 1/4 cup Minute Rice
Directions:
Step one:
In a large bowl combine ground beef, onion flakes, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and minute rice well.
(I just mix and squish it all together with my hands but if that grosses you out you can always wear gloves...)
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| Stuff waiting to meet... |
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| ...all met up and ready to mix..... |
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| .....mixed up and settling into one another........ |
Step two:
Rough-chop the cabbage into 1 inch-ish pieces... bigger/smaller, it doesn't really matter..... whatever you prefer.
You could even just extra lazily peel off layers ad lay them into the casserole if you wanted to, you would just have to cut into it like a lasgne when serving time is at hand.
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| Chop... chop-choppin' on the chop board..... (sung to workin' on the railroad) |
Step three:
Time to layer!! In a large pot, alternate layers of the cabbage and the meat mixture.
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| Start with a good bottom covering of the chopped cabbage... I like to put just a little more than 1/3 of the chopped amount on the bottom layer. |
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| ...and top the cabbage with half of the meat mixture. I like to drop the meat onto the cabbage layer in little globs and then I press it gently into sort of a patty which just helps keep it layered all together through the cooking time. |
**Repeat the layering once more using 1/2 of the remaining cabbage as well as the remaining meat mixture. Then top with the remaining cabbage.**
Time to make the sauce!
Sauce Ingredients:
6 cups Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
Salt (if needed)
Step one:
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well to disolve the brown sugar.
*So here's the deal with the tomato sauce... use whatever you want. I happen to love canning my own tomatoes despite my hatred of kitchen time, so that's what I choose to use. For this recipe I used a quart-and-a-half of tomatoes... the other half quart didn't get wasted because I just used it for macaroni and tomatoes for a quick lunch the following day. You could use a couple of large cans of whole tomatoes or a can of crushed mixed with a can of water or you could take the awesome laziest way (which I also sometimes do) and just pour tomato juice straight from the can over top which is good, too. seriously, use whatever works and is easiest for you!
Also... about the salt..... I don't add salt when I can tomatoes so I did add a little into this sauce but if you are using already salted tomatoes you may not need to add salt.
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| Don't be afraid to adjust the sugar and lemon juice and salt to suit your own taste! I prefer it a little sweeter to the lemony tang but you might like it opposite... start with a little of each and give it a little taste test until it's just right! |
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| Let the sauce sit for about 5 minutes, then give it another quick stir before pouring it gently over the excitedly waiting layers of cabbagy, meaty goodness! |
Togetherness!!!
This is it! The casserole is finally coming together!!
Step one:
Pour the sauce over the calsserole layers.
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| The sauce has been carefully poured and since it's a might thick, it has a tendancy to sit at the top... like me, it's lazy and doesn't really feel like working its own way down through the layers..... |
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| ...so I help it out a little, 'cause that's what friends do. I just poke the end of a wooden spoon down to the bottom and give it a little wiggle to help that saucehhhh deliciousness make it all down and through the whole shebang. |
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| Next I poured about a 1/2 cup of water over the top... you don't have to but I just wanted to rinse out the tomato jar because I don't like to waste even the littlest bits of the tomatoes I worked hard on canning. :) |
Step two:
Cover and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes...
*DO NOT STIR!*
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| Covered and cookin' like a boss... a little shy and wanting privacy but cookin' like a boss nonetheless! |
Step three:
Uncover and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
*STILL... DO NOT STIR!!*
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| It's not so shy now and wants to show off the beautiful deliciousness it's so quickly blossoming into! |
Step four:
Remove from heat and let set for 5-10 minutes.
Step five:
Ladle a little into a bowl (or onto a plate) and enjoy!!!
I love the whole sween'n'salty deal so I just add a little salt and I'm good to go! It's good just the way it is or you may want to put a dollop of sour cream on it like my sister does... however you best like cabbage rolls, just rolllllll with it! ;)
We usually just have this casserole on its own or with a dinner bun the first night. And on the left-over nights I usually make either baked potatoes or perogies (whichever one served with sour cream) and a salad. Or I often just have it 'as is' for a bunch of easy lunches. It's pretty easy to pair with whatever... I probably wouldn't pair it with a burger but, if you want to... give it a try, might just turn out to be the best pairing ever!
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| A bowl of comforting deliciousness... good for my tummy and good for my soul! |
