Cabbage Rolls

Admittedly, the cabbage rolls above were found on Google. However, the ones that I make look identical to these but I am sure mine taste better! I forgot to take a picture of mine before we ate all of them. These cabbage rolls are very very yummy and can be healthy if you use lean ground beef or ground turkey and substitute brown rice for white rice. The meat mixture can also be used to stuff bell pepper which I bet would be very yummy. 

INGREDIENTS:

One 2-3 pound head of cabbage. Look for one that looks perfect. Tight and light green leaves. 

1.5 pounds of lean ground beef or ground turkey

3/4 cup uncooked, long grain white rice

1 chopped bell pepper

1 chopped onion

1.5 cups of chopped mushrooms

1 tbsp of garlic 

1/2 tsp dry thyme

1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup tomato puree or sauce

1 cup chicken or vegetable sauce (or you could use a cup of the water from boiling the cabbage) 

1 egg

Jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I prefer sun dried tomato spaghetti sauce or prego original for this recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F

2. Bring a LARGE stock pot of water to a boil. 

3. Cut the core out of the bottom of the head of cabbage.

4. Once the water is boiling place the cabbage in it and cover. Leave in the water from 5-7 minutes.

5. In a pan sweat the chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, chopped mushrooms, garlic, dry time, and Italian Seasoning. When the onions and bell peppers are tender and translucent move them to a large mixing bowl. 

6. Remove the Cabbage from the boiling water carefully and place on a large cookie sheet and allow to cool. 

7. Add the uncooked rice, ground beef, egg, and 1/2 cup of tomato puree and salt and pepper to the onion mixture. Use your hands to combine it until it comes together like meatloaf. 

8. Carefully peel away each cabbage leaf individually. You want 12-16 whole cabbage leafs. 

9. Use a pairing knife to trim the large vein on the outer side of the cabbage leaf. You want to just sort of shave away the excess of it so that it is easier to roll. 

10. Lay down the cabbage leaf with the outer side down  and place a scoopful of the meat mixture on the end of it. Then roll the mixture forward and pus the sides of the cabbage leaf towards the middle to conceal the ends and finish rolling it completely. Lay the rolls seam side down in a 9x13 inch casserole or baking dish. 

11. You can use any meat mixture that is left to pack in between the cabbage rolls in the pan. 

12. Pour half of the jar of pasta sauce over the top of the rolls and spread it out evenly over the top. 

13. Chop any remaining cabbage and cover the top of the rolls and tomato sauce with it.

14. Pour one cup of chicken broth, water, or cabbage water over the top of the cabbage rolls and shake the pan to make sure the water goes to the bottom. 

15. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1.5 hours.