Cabbage Rolls

I grew up a very picky eater.  I feel a twinge of guilt when I think about what I put my parents through most dinners.  My taste buds have expanded a bit over the years, but I still find myself leaning towards simple tasting dishes.  

One of these is cabbage rolls and I make this recipe at least once a month.  They fit in nicely with my new diet (more protein and vegetables) and I can make a big batch for my lunches during the week.  The recipe I use is my mom's, tweaking it just a bit :)  Not a fan of cabbage?  You can also easily substitute the cabbage with peppers.

Ingredients:

1 big head of cabbage

1 pound of lean ground beef

1 cup of rice (cooked)

Olive oil

Tomato Juice

Salt to taste

First, cook the rice, but only until al-dente.

Add a couple of inches of water to a large pot.  Place head of cabbage into the pot, cover and boil.  When the cabbage turns bright green and the leaves can easily be peeled, remove from heat.  I let the cabbage cool for just a few minutes before I peel the leaves off with tongs.

Add rice to uncooked beef, mixing together with a little bit of olive oil (few tablespoons) and a pinch of salt

Taking one of the cabbage leaves, add about a palm sized serving of meat and rice mixture.  My mom's trick is to cut a triangle at the base to remove part of the stem for easier rolling.

Roll the cabbage leaf, tucking in the sides to make a little cabbage burrito.

Once you've filled the casserole pan, pour tomato juice over the rolls.  Some of the juice will evaporate so make sure to cover them well.

Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour at 375 degrees