Cabbage Rolls

I had a pound of gound beef and was in the mood to do something different with it. After looking at a few recipes for cabbage rolls I came up with my own version. It was very good. My skeptical husband even liked it.

Cabbage Rolls:

1/3 cup cooked white rice
8 cabbage leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can diced tomato w/basil and oregano

1/2 cup sauerkraut

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp worcheshire sauce

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, rice, soy sauce, worcheshire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, 2 spoon fulls of diced tomato, egg, and salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of water a boil. Separate 8 large cabbage leaves from the head, and place in boiling water. Boil until soft, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from water, and set aside.

Into the center of each leaf, place a small amount of the meat mixture. Fold in the sides, and roll up from the bottom.

Place a layer of sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot. Arrange cabbage rolls in a single layer over the sauerkraut, seams down. Cover with remaining diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 40 minutes.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

While looking for mexican dishes I can across this recipe from Lovestoeat's Weblog and decided to give it a go. Glad I did because this was super easy and very good.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken:

4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup salsa-Fresh

1 package taco seasoning

1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed) or cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Add chicken to slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Mix salsa and soup; pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork. Stir in sour cream until heated, then serve over rice or tortillas. I topped mine with cheese, chopped green onions, and leftover green chile sauce from my chimichangas.

Chicken Chimichangas with Green Sauce

I was in the mood for mexican again and wanted to try something different. I found this recipe from Allrecipes. It was so good. I served it with a side of mexican rice and black beans with pico de gallo (recipe below). I forgot to top mine with cheese but did the next day on the leftovers. It was good without the extra cheese but definitely better with it.

Chicken Chimichangas with Green Sauce:

2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
5 pitted green olives
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 pound shredded cooked chicken meat
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onion
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Pour the cream of chicken soup into a blender along with the green chiles, olives, jalapeno, and lime juice. Puree until smooth, then pour into a saucepan, and warm over medium-low heat while proceeding with the recipe.

In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and taco seasoning until well blended. Fold in the chicken. Evenly divide mixture among the 8 tortillas. Fold each tortilla into a rectanglular packet around the filling.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray top of chimis with Pam and place in heated oven. Bake 10-15 min or till crispy. You may also fry them but I wanted a healtier alternative.

To serve, place a chimichanga on a plate, and ladle the warm sauce over top. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and green onions. Finish with a dollop of sour cream.

Black Beans w/ Pico de Gallo

Black Beans with Pico de Gallo:

1 large tomato, diced
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons water

Stir together the tomato, onion, cilantro, and honey. Season with lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside.

Melt bacon grease in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion, cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Pour in the black beans and water, season to taste with salt and pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes or until hot. Serve topped with pico de gallo.