main dish

Simple Stuffed Cabbage

, , ,

Stuffed CabbageGood old stuffed cabbage. Also known as holubky, if you want to sound Slovak. I mean that’s what my grandparents, who spoke Slovak, used to call this dish so it’s for sure authentic. However, I’m not so sure how authentic this actual recipe is. It does have condensed tomato soup as the main ingredient and I’m *pretty* sure that the canned stuff didn’t exist until fairly recently. However, it’s how it was made at home since I was little and there’s nothing better than comfort food. Especially when it’s fairly simple to make!

Stuffed CabbageFunny story about stuffed cabbage. I loved stuffed cabbage growing up. It was something that was made when we were all gathered as family for special occasions or for a Sunday dinner. My grandmothers would probably spend extra time putting together and rolling the stuffed cabbage to make them perfect. We’d always end up with enough to feed a hungry army so I figure they probably spent quite a bit of time making them. Well, there I came along as a young child and I would absolutely refuse to eat the actual cabbage. I would actually make my parents or grandparents UNWRAP those beautiful little rolls so that I could eat the meat and rice and sauce without touching that “gross” stuff known as cabbage.

Stuffed CabbageAs I grew older I’m sure my parents told me a million times to eat the cabbage. Eat the cabbage. Eat the cabbage. No, I would not eat the cabbage. No, I’m good. I’m not eating the cabbage. You get the gist. All those years my parents would eat my cabbage for me (you certainly cannot waste this stuff!).

Stuffed CabbageWell, turns out as you get older and move out and decide to cook for yourself, you no longer have parents to pick apart your stuffed cabbage and eat the cabbage for you. So, to my dismay…I ate the cabbage. FINALLY, after 20-some years I ate the cabbage and…/drum roll/…it turns out it tastes like everything else in the pot with it. What an anticlimactic ending to a 20 year battle. After simmering for hours in a pot, the cabbage is basically the same soft, lovely consistency as the meat and rice. Then you add the sauce (you have to add sauce, for sure) and I probably would not even be able to tell the difference between filling and cabbage without looking.

I suppose I had the best parents and grandparents in the world to put up with my stuffed cabbage issues. I’m sorry for all the stuffed cabbage that I unrolled throughout my life. They were most likely perfectly made with love.

Stuffed Cabbage

Simple Stuffed Cabbage
Yields 15
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 30 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 head of cabbage
  2. 3/4 cup parboiled rice (*see notes*)
  3. 1 pound meatloaf mixture ground meat (mixture of beef, pork, and veal)
  4. 2 eggs
  5. 2 cans condensed tomato soup
  6. 1 cup water, plus water to cover the cabbage rolls
  7. 2 tablespoons vinegar
  8. salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the core out of the head of cabbage and place the cabbage in the water. Return to a light simmer. Using tongs, remove the outer layers of cabbage as they start to soften (approximately 1-2 minutes per layer). Place the softened leaves on a towel or in a colander to drain. Keep removing the outer leaves until only the middle of the cabbage remains. Remove and drain the middle. Let cool.
  2. Once the leaves are slightly cooled, cut out the thick rib at the bottom of the leaf. I use kitchen scissors to do this. Start with the largest leaves to make into rolls. Lay the smaller leaves or leaves from the center over the bottom of a large pot to protect the rolls from burning during cooking.
  3. Mix the parboiled rice, ground meat, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Place approximately 1/4 cup of the meat mixture in each cabbage leaf (depending on the leaf's size) and roll by pulling the sides of the leaf towards the middle then rolling away from you (like a burrito!).
  4. Stack the cabbage rolls with the open side down over the leaves on the bottom of the large pot.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix together the cans of soup, 1 cup of water, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Pour over the cabbage rolls. Fill the pot up with enough water to just cover the rolls.
  6. Bring the water to a simmer on the stove top, cover, and simmer on low for 2 hours. Do not stir, though you can make sure the water is still covering the rolls by pressing them down periodically.
  7. Serve with bread to scoop up the extra sauce!
Notes
  1. *To parboil rice place 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup of rice in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until no more water remains in the pan.
  2. You can use just ground beef for stuffed cabbage, but I really like the mix of meat. I just get the pre-mixed meatloaf mix at the store. Usually I don't even have to go to the meat counter for it.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Hearty Turkey Chili

, , , ,

Turkey ChiliChili is one of my favorite quick and healthy meals that fills your belly on a cool day. It’s like comfort food but without the added fat that a lot of comfort foods have. Plus, *bonus* that turkey also tastes delicious in this dish. There are so many beautiful flavors that you will not miss the beef at all. Promise.

Turkey ChiliYou can also take this recipe and run with it. I don’t mean literally. **Disclaimer: Do not run with chili. You are bound to get burnt.** No, I mean take this recipe and make it yours! Add your favorite beans, veggies, or spices. Have some red beans? No worries. Add those. Green beans…go for it! You love chocolate. Add some cocoa powder. Why not?? One time I even snuck some kale into the chili. I swear you couldn’t notice but I think my husband described it as “stringy.” It’s still up for debate.

Turkey ChiliThis is one of those dishes that is good on day like today in Michigan where it is cold and drizzling and you don’t want to leave the couch. But it’s also Halloween today so I will probably leave the couch to pass out candy to those brave enough to venture out into the rainy cold. Maybe they’ll even get a few extra pieces of candy for being so brave.

Oh, I remember a few times my sister and I went trick-or-treating in ponchos and/or large jackets. It was so sad to cover up one of my favorite Minnie Mouse costumes with a poncho /sigh/ but you gotta do what you gotta do to get candy. It’s serious business out there.

Turkey ChiliWhether you are out in the cold and need something to warm your belly or it’s just a day to cuddle up and do nothing, this chili is the perfect solution to a “chilly” day. Get it?? Chilly. Chili. Yeah, I’m cool.

Hearty Turkey Chili
Serves 6
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound ground turkey
  2. 1 yellow onion, diced
  3. 1 clove garlic, minced
  4. 3 carrots, diced
  5. 2 bell peppers, diced
  6. 1 jalapeño, finely diced
  7. 2 cans diced tomatoes (28 ounce cans), or approximately 6 cups of diced tomatoes
  8. 2 cans black beans (15 ounce cans)
  9. 2 tablespoons chili powder
  10. 2 tablespoons cumin powder
  11. 1 teaspoon oregano
  12. 1 teaspoon paprika
  13. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  14. 2 dried bay leaves
  15. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  16. 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  17. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
  1. Brown the turkey in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once browned, remove any excess oil from the pan.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, and jalapeño to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, beans, and spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper). Simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chili reaches your desired thickness.
  5. Remove the bay leaves prior to serving.
Notes
  1. You can reduce or increase how spicy this chili is by reducing or increasing the cayenne and jalapeño. This chili has a little kick to so try it with less first if you are unsure and add more to taste. I typically serve mine over mashed potatoes or french fries with a little cheddar cheese on top (yum!) but it's also delicious on its own!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Chicken Tikka Masala

, ,

Chicken Tikka MasalaI first had chicken tikka masala a couple of years ago at a nice little Indian restaurant near college with some friends. It looked fairly typical. Chicken. Rice. Reddish, orange sauce. Little did I know I was going to have a flavor EXPLOSION in my mouth. Wow, I was in for a delicious surprise.

Chicken Tikka MasalaIn very general terms, tikka masala is a tomato and cream based sauce with a slew of spices added. It’s very hard to describe to someone who has never had it but it’s a flavor that you will for sure remember once you have had it. It’s kind of spicy and earthy and warm. Yeah…that was a horrible description. I don’t even know what that means. Needless to say, I am seriously drooling right now and wondering how I can come up with a last minute version of this with what is in my house because we are out of leftovers.

Chicken Tikka MasalaBefore I had this dish at that Indian restaurant, I never really even knew what tikka masala was let alone attempt to make it! Now I LOVE to make it and crave it often. As in I crave it every time I am coming up with the weekly menu.

Now, this is for sure not a recipe based off of traditional Indian cooking techniques. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re probably better off somewhere else. I grew up Slovak in a house where pierogi and stuffed cabbage were the menu items, not Indian cuisine. However, I find this dish delicious and packed with flavors similar to what I remember from my first tikka masala experience. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 6
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cubed
  2. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  3. 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  4. 2 tablespoons butter
  5. 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  6. 4 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 1 tablespoon dried cumin
  8. 1 teaspoon salt
  9. 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  10. 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
  11. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  12. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  13. 1 can no salt added tomato sauce (14 ounce)
  14. 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  15. 2 teaspoons paprika
  16. 1 tablespoon white sugar
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and curry powder. Sear chicken until just cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. When the butter is melted, add the onion and sauté until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add the cumin, salt, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric. Sauté 2 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to low and stir in tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream, paprika, and sugar. Simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Return chicken to the skillet with the sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
Notes
  1. This can get pretty spicy depending on how much cayenne pepper you add. If you do not like it spicy, try using the 1/2 teaspoon (or less) of cayenne pepper. This is definitely best over rice because the rice gets coated in the delicious sauce as well.
Adapted from All Recipes | Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala
Adapted from All Recipes | Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Goat Cheese & Pesto Grilled Cheese

, , ,

I first had goat cheese on a grilled cheese when I went out to a local restaurant and WOW was it good. Grilled cheese is gooey and crunchy and delicious by itself. Goat cheese is tangy and creamy and salty. Combined, this is like a grilled cheese that got promoted to grilled cheese boss. The boss of grilled cheeses.

Oh wait…how could I forget about the pesto???? In addition to the gooey, crunchy, delicious, tangy, salty, creamy grilled cheese I already had, I added pesto. Yep. You heard me. This grilled cheese is out of this world!! Specifically, I added my carrot top & basil pesto but you can also make this with regular pesto or good quality pesto from the store.

I’m going to be honest. This is barely a recipe. It’s more of a suggestion of how I did it. Once you have the ingredients you can totally play with the proportions to your taste. Since it was so delicious I just felt the need to share! If you come up with your own awesome combination of grilled cheese, let me know!

Goat Cheese & Pesto Grilled Cheese
Yields 1
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
8 min
Cook Time
5 min
Prep Time
8 min
Cook Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 slices of multi-grain or whole wheat bread (I like mine with a good, crunchy crust)
  2. 1-2 tablespoons butter
  3. 1-2 tablespoons pesto
  4. 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
  5. 2-3 slices of Gouda cheese
  6. tomato slices
  7. spinach leaves
Instructions
  1. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. While the pan is heating, spread butter on one side of each piece of bread.
  3. On the non-buttered side of one piece of bread, spread the pesto.
  4. Add cheeses, tomato, and spinach on top of the pesto. I like to sandwich the tomato and spinach between cheese so that the cheese melts all around it and keeps it in.
  5. Top with the other piece of bread, buttered side up.
  6. Place the sandwich in the pan and cook until the bread becomes toasted and the cheese starts to melt. Flip and repeat.
Notes
  1. Add your own combination of veggies, cheeses, and sauces to make it your own. This is just how I made mine!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

 

 

Jalapeño Cilantro Mac & Cheese

, ,

Mac and cheese. Oh my. Yum. Something about mac and cheese in general makes my mouth water. But then sandwich a jalapeño, cilantro, and spinach puree of wonderfulness between 2 layers of mac and cheese and WOW! Flavor explosion in your mouth.

Mac and cheese has the creamy, melt in your mouth, comfort food thing that everyone loves. The jalapeño cilantro layer gives the classic dish a punch that makes you think of mac and cheese in a whole new way! *Bonus* that it’s really not hard to pull together. Classic dish + extra punch + easy = AWESOME!!
 
I came up with this recipe after my husband asked for mac and cheese for the 1,000th time. Let’s be honest here…I love mac and cheese as well so it’s not usually hard to convince me to make it. Except that I wish I had a special contraption to make rotini from scratch since I’m on such a homemade pasta kick. I’m pretty sure I’ll get over it. With the help of some delicious mac and cheese, of course. 
 
I have recently been completing the “I would actually love to eat this again” test on food because I don’t want to torture you with just average recipes. That would just be mean. I can assure you that this definitely gets two thumbs up and passes the “eat this again” test with flying colors. 
 
One great thing about this recipe is that you can alter it to fit your taste! If you want it more rich, replace more of the milk with cream. If you want it less rich, use only skim milk. If you want it more spicy, include the jalapeño seeds. If you want it less spicy, remove the jalapeño seeds or even reduce the amount of jalapeño in the puree. If you have a favorite cheese that you are dying to use, you can use basically any kind of shredded melting cheese for the sauce! Isn’t that great?? I think it is.
 
Jalapeño Cilantro Mac & Cheese
Serves 4
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
15 min
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
15 min
For the mac and cheese
  1. 1 pound dried pasta (I used rotini)
  2. 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  3. 1/2 cup flour
  4. 4 cups of milk (I used 3 cups of milk and 1 cup of cream but you can use any combination of milk and cream to make it more or less rich)
  5. 1 teaspoon salt
  6. 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  7. 4 1/2 cups grated cheese (I combined 1.25 cups Gouda and 3.25 cups of cheddar)
For the jalapeno cilantro layer
  1. 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
  2. 2-3 jalapeño peppers
  3. 4 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach
  4. 1/4 cup heavy cream
  5. pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Boil the pasta until al dente, as instructed on the box.
  3. Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk together for about 1 minute. Add the milk/cream, salt, and pepper. Whisk continuously until the mixture starts to bubble, then continue to whisk for about 1 more minute until it is thick and creamy. Remove mixture from heat and add 4 cups of the cheese (I saved the last 1/2 cup for the top). Stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce.
  4. Combine the cheese sauce with the pasta in a large bowl or pot. Set aside.
  5. In a food processor or blender, add the cilantro, 2 jalapeño peppers (I used seeds and all but remove the seeds if you don't like it as spicy), spinach, cream, and salt. Blend to a puree.
  6. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour half of the mac and cheese into the pan. Spread to even out the layer. Spoon the jalapeño cilantro puree over the mac and cheese in an even layer. Spread the remaining mac and cheese evenly over top. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and a sliced jalapeño (optional).
  7. Bake for about 15 minutes to heat through. Broil for another 3-5 minutes until it is golden brown on top.
Notes
  1. You can add more or less jalapeño depending on how spicy you like food. If you remove the seeds, it will cut down on the heat. Remember to wash your hands after working with jalapeño and don't touch your eyes or they will burn!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
 
 
«< 2 3 4 5 6 >