Every year, like the good girl that I am, I eat my obligatory black-eyed peas and cabbage. When I was a kid I would kick and scream - not wanting either to even touch my lips. But mom always said it was a must. Now, I love incorporating them into my favorite dishes. For New Year's Eve my friend Leah invited a big group of us over and I supplied a black-eyed pea salsa and wontons with Asian (cabbage) slaw. YUM! Both were a tasty way to start the new year off right.
But, in the grand tradition of Anne, I overbought and had a ton of leftover cabbage. Since my kids have assumed the role of "cabbage haters" I needed to be crafty. I was determined to make something they couldn't help but love which could only mean one thing...cheese. Yes, covering something hated with cheese sauce may be the oldest trick in the book, but it's the oldest for a reason, it usually works. The kids weren't deceived...they knew the cabbage was there, but they did their best and at least tried my latest concoction.
What I didn't tell them, and in hindsight may have been a mistake, is that the reason we eat cabbage for the new year is because the leaves look like money! With a grand plan for the year: new vehicle, home improvements, and maybe a trip or two momma can use all the money she can get. Even if you're not money hungry, this is a great dish to try and a nice spin on a classic cabbage dish.
Traditional & cheesy cabbage rolls
Ingredients
8-10 cabbage leaves (use the big, outer layers)
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 head cauliflower, riced or 3 c cooked rice
seasoning: salt, red & black pepper, garlic powder
tomato sauce (make your own, or use a simply seasoned jar variety)
cheese sauce (I made mine by melting some colby jack into a simple cream sauce)
3 cloves garlic
Directions
- blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water until softened (5-6 minutes), shock in ice water and allow to cool
- brown seasoned ground beef and drain any fat, add rice (or cauliflower, and cook until tender - adding beef broth until soft)
- remove ribs from cabbage leaves and roll leaves around filling
- pour tomato sauce in a 9 x 13 dish and add chopped garlic cloves
- nestle the rolls inside the sauce and pour any remaining tomato sauce on top
- cover some with cheese sauce (for the kids and kids-at-heart)
- bake in a 350º oven for 30 minutes or until cabbage is fork tender