Mom's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Yet another recipe from mom's gray tin box. I'd love to cook through this entire box, but it'll take some time. Maybe that could be my goal for next year.

Mom didn't make these cabbage rolls a lot. They were a family favorite, but it does take a bit of effort. I can only imagine she'd come home from work, tired, and the last thing she'd want to do is make cabbage rolls. This would have been a weekend meal for us for sure.

Only a couple of changes that my sister and I remember mom doing, that the recipe doesn't indicate. I'll put those notes below.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Recipe from Mom
Serves 6-10 (It really depends on how many rolls each person eats. 6 for sure.

12 large cabbage leaves
1 1/4 lb hamburger
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c cooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 T wesson oil
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce (Mom used tomato soup - so I did)
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c water
1 T lemon juice or vinegar

Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes, or until limp; drain.

Combine next 7 ingredients (hamb through poultry seasoning). Place equal portions of meat mixture in center of each leaf. Fold sides of each leaf over meat; roll up and fasten with toothpicks or string.

Brown in hot oil in very large skillet. Pour tomato sauce over. Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice. Stir into tomato sauce. Simmer covered on hour, basting occasionally.

JW Note: Okay, I didn't fry them. Mom put them in the oven. She combined the tomato soup, sugar, water and lemon juice and poured it over the rolls in a 9x13 dish. She baked it at 350 for like 45 minutes or so.

Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower is one of those veggies that's super good for you but really doesn't have much of a taste. I like to bake it at high heat and get it all crispy on the outside.  Tonight for Sunday dinner, I decided to try this cauliflower gratin. I added broccoli too thinking it was a nice addition.

Cauliflower Gratin
Recipe from ??

1 head cauliflower, divided into 1 in florets
4 T unsalted butter, divided
1 c diced onions
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
3 T flour
1 1/4 c whole mil
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c grated Gruyere
1/2 c grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 c fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 425.

Coat a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook cauliflower in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again.

Melt 2 T butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Off heat, stir in Gruyere and 1/4 c Parmesan, then stir in cauliflower until completely coated; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 T butter, combine with bread crumbs, remaining 1/4 c Parmesan and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbs over gratin and bake until crumbs are golden brown and sauce is bubbly, 25-30 minutes. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving.

Buttermilk Ranch Chicken

Tried a new recipe for Sunday dinner tonight. I'm not great at cooking chicken for guests because I like my chicken WELL done. And most people think dry chicken is gross. Well, tonight I decided to give this a go.

It Was..DELICIOUS. If I'd make it again I would bake the chicken instead of fry it. Frying it took too long to get everyone on the table at the same time.

Buttermilk Ranch Chicken

Photo from Rachel Ray Mag

Recipe from Rachel Ray Magazine

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
Salt and pepper
4 thin-cut chicken breast cutlets
2 tablespoons oil

Combine all ingredients up to oil; marinate 45 minutes (or overnight). In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; brown cutlets on both sides until cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Monterrey Chicken-Rice Bake

I pulled out another recipe from Mom's gray tin of recipes. This one sounded interesting and a bit weird all at the same time. I mean who uses cottage cheese in something like this? Gross.

I ultimately decided that I was going to follow the recipe exactly as it says to. The only thing I ultimately forgot to do was season the darn thing. Had I not forgotten that this would have been much better. As it was it was just meh.

I also didn't add the Monterrey grated cheese. I already had some shredded cheese in my drawer and just chose to use it instead. I really think Monterrey shredded cheese would have made this more creamy.

Monterrey Chicken-Rice Bake
Recipe from Mom or Grandma

1/2 c cottage cheese
1/2 c sour cream
3 oz cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz)
1 can (4oz) diced green chiles
1 tsp salt
1/8tsp garlic powder
3 c cooked chicken - chopped
3 c cooked rice (cooked in chicken broth)
1 c grated Monterrey Jack cheese
2 tomatoes coarsely chopped
3/4 c coarsely crushed corn chips

Blend cottage cheese, cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add mix to remaining ingredients except corn chips. Pour into a shallow 2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with corn chips.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 Minutes.