Roasted Cabbage Nests with Grilled Tofu

It's no secret that I love cabbage. And one of my favorite uses for it is roasted cabbage nests.

A few I've featured on the blog:
First
Second
Third

Repeats of those and other versions I haven't featured on the blog have partied in our bellies, too.

This current version was the first time I've topped them with tofu, and it was terrific, if I don't say so myself. (Johnny tentatively tried it and ended up agreeing that it was terrific, if a 2nd opinion is your sorta thing.)

1 small head green cabbage
2 eggs
1 green pepper
2 small onions
3 carrots
3 stalks celery
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 block extra firm tofu
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp favorite BBQ sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

I began by pressing my tofu between two paper towel lined plates with a heavy cast iron pot.

Preheat your oven to 400° and slice the cabbage into quarters, then in thin strands. In the bottom of a very large mixing bowl whisk the two eggs and salt and pepper. Separate the cabbage strands into the bowl and use your hands to toss and coat in the egg mixture. It will take a little working, but eventually everything will be coated. Spread out onto a greased baking pan and pop in the oven.

Wash and process your veggies, cutting into bite-sized pieces. Add to the mixing bowl with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread out onto a baking pan and pop into the oven with the cabbage. Set the timer for 20 minutes.

In a shallow bowl, mix the remaining olive oil, balsamic, soy sauce, BBQ sauce, and salt and pepper. Slice the tofu into 1/4" pieces and dredge through the sauce.

Heat a griddle or skillet and cook the tofu until hot and a browned edge forms for texture and extra flavor.

To serve, scoop a "nest" of cabbage, top with the roasted vegetables, and some slices of the tofu. Additional balsamic vinegar and oil can be used to dress the top, if necessary.

This makes a LOT. Leftovers reheat well in a warmed oven or toaster oven.

Really, I don't know much I could say that the pictures don't show. It was beautiful - both on the plate and the tastebuds. You can't go wrong with roasted veggies anyways. But then to adorn them with slices of tangy marinated tofu!? Definitely a keeper!

Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers

One of my very first posts ever was stuffed green peppers. Johnny and I still love them, still enjoy them at least once a month, and I've never really strayed from that recipe.

Then, last month I saw sausage and rice stuffed peppers in my Cooking Club magazine. I tore it out in hopes that it would become another beloved stuffed pepper recipe. Of course I changed a few things, but I'm happy to report that it was great, and will definitely be entering our rotation!

4 bell peppers (I used green)
~1 lb. loose Italian sausage (I used my dad's)
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup leftover or prepared sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used skim)

Cook your brown rice ahead of time. It will need about 40-50 minutes depending on variety, so make sure you start early enough. Wash the peppers and lob off the top where the stem is to make "bowls." Reserve the top part, minus the stem. Place the pepper bowls in a microwave safe dish and microwave for a few minutes to give them a head start and reduce oven cooking time. (Mine took about 4 minutes on high.)

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Chop the reserved pepper tops and add them to the skillet with the onions and garlic, cooking a few minutes until softened. Add the brown rice, sauce, and water. Stir until everything is incorporated, then remove from the heat. Stir in about 3/4 cup of the cheese.

Spoon the mixture into the pepper bowls, topping with the remaining cheese. Bake 20 minutes, uncovered until the peppers are tender and the cheese is browned.

As I said - these were great! I really like the brown rice with the sausage - it makes them a lot heartier and filling. This is the first time I've made stuffed peppers this way, using the whole pepper. I usually cut them in half lengthwise, stuffing each half, which doesn't fit nearly as much stuffing! I think it also makes for a much more impressive presentation!

Have you made stuffed peppers before? If so, what is your favorite recipe? If not - what are you waiting for!?

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

You have two days left to enter my surprise giveaway!

I've made Biz's pizza crust several times, but in an effort to eat healthier, I made it with whole wheat flour. The verdict?! Still just as delicious as the white flour version. In fact, it has a little more flavor!

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp active dried yeast (or 1 packet)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Add the yeast to the warm water and let sit about 5 minutes to activate and become bubbly. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, and garlic powder. Once the yeast mixture is ready, stir the olive oil in and add to the flour mixture bowl. Stir until everything is combined, adding more flour if necessary. The dough will still be slightly sticky, but don't over-flour because you will need to add more flour while you roll it out. This is enough to make two 12" pizzas.

I usually have the oven on at 400° to 425° and pre-bake for 5 minutes or so. Then I spread on the sauce, cheese, toppings and pop back in the oven for about 20 minutes.



This night's toppings were leftover roasted broccoli, fresh spinach, green peppers, onion, and garlic. What are your favorite pizza toppings? And have you ever tried a whole wheat crust?

Italian Cabbage Casserole & 2 Year Giveaway

Johnny's sister, Di and I have been crafting our little hearts out lately. We both love Halloween, and it's never too early to start celebrating!

It was both Di's and my first time jigsawing EVER. I think we did a fantastic job, if I don't say so myself! The templates are from Martha Stewart's web site.

In a special Taste of Home fall craft and recipe magazine Di got, this Italian Cabbage Casserole caught my eye. The original recipe can be found here, and my adaptation is below.

1 medium cabbage, shredded
1 pound loose Italian sausage
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
29 oz. can of tomato puree
6 oz. can of tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used part-skim)

Place the shredded cabbage in a steamer basket over about 1 inch of boiling water. Cover and steam for 6-8 minutes, or until tender. Rinse with cool water, drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, green pepper, and onion until the sausage is no longer pink. Stir in the tomato puree, paste, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place half of the cabbage in a greased 11" x 17" baking dish. Top with the sausage mixture, then 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes at 350°. Finish under the broiler to brown the cheese. Serves 6-8 and reheats nicely.



This was absolutely delicious. Johnny and I both loved it. It hits all the same notes of a lasagna, but uses the cabbage instead of noodles, which would make it a nice substitute for a gluten-free lasagna. The next day we ate it reheated for lunch with Di and she loved it too. It will definitely become part of our rotation. Plus, I love that it makes a huge pan and we have leftovers for a few days.

And I TOTALLY forgot about my own giveaway! Sorry, guys.

My two year blogaversary was yesterday, Sunday, September 12th. Hard to believe it's been two years already.

Although at the same time it feels like I've been doing this forever. I can't remember back to a time it wasn't "normal" to take pictures of my food before digging in!

As I said, this will be a surprise giveaway! You (and I) don't know the prize yet, but a prize is a prize, so it's still worth fighting for - amiright?

To enter:

Leave a comment below letting me know how long you've been blogging! (If you're not a blogger, feel free to leave any ol' comment!)

For an extra entry, tweet about this giveaway and leave a 2nd comment with @yourhandle.

For additional entries, link up to this week's Friday Firsts. Leave a separate comment for each linkback on this post.

Giveaway will end Saturday, September 18th at midnight. I will announce the winner soon thereafter.

Roasted Cabbage Nests

I have not made these in a long, long time. They used to be a favorite of ours and then I just forgot about them, sadly! The cabbage looked great last grocery trip and I was reminded of delicious cabbage nests, so I grabbed a small head.

This is one of those dishes where just the base remains the same, but you can switch it up anyway you like. Every time I have made it has been a different adventure based on what was in the fridge at that particular moment. This latest version was absolutely delicious, so I think it's worth repeating.

Cabbage Nests:
1 small green cabbage
4 or 5 green onions (new addition this time!)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Halve the cabbage, discard the outer leaves, cut out the core, and then slice into thin strips about 1/4" wide. Separate the cabbage into ribbons as you add to the bowl. Chop the green onions on a bias and add to the bowl. Toss for a few minutes, turning over to make sure the cabbage is covered in the egg mixture. Place in "nests" (or in this case, a "bed") onto a greased baking sheet. Pop into a 400° oven for 20-25 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the top and bottom are browned a bit. (Yes, my oven has burnt splatters on the bottom - I'm domestically lazy remember!?)

Topping:
~1 pound home made Italian sausage (courtesy of Dad)
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 leftover onion
1 leftover red potato
14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I used Red Gold basil, garlic, and oregano)


In a medium skillet brown the sausage, breaking up as it cooks. Add the chopped green pepper and any leftovers you have on hand. In this case I used half of an onion and red potato that had been previously grilled and was hanging out in my fridge. Once the sausage is cooked and the vegetables are tender, add the can of tomatoes, stirring to incorporate. The tomatoes I used were already perfectly seasoned and tasted great with the sausage. If you use plain tomatoes you may need to adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Scoop a "bed" of cabbage onto your plate and then top with a few spoonfuls of the sausage mixture and tomato sauce. Serves 4.

If you haven't made this yet, you really need to. The roasted cabbage on its own is such a delicious flavor burst, but then to top it with yummy combinations of things puts it over the top!

Like I said, this can be switched up so many ways! You could use tofu or just veggies for a vegetarian version. Add seafood if you're a pescatarian! It's a useful vehicle to use up leftovers in the fridge so you don't waste food or throw anything out. Also, for Celiac sufferers or low-carb eaters this is a great way to enjoy Italian flavors without the use of pasta. The bed of cabbage is so fulfilling, you won't even miss the noodles!

Chicken and Orzo Soup

I make home made chicken soup pretty often. Johnny and I both love it, and it makes a lot so we can have leftovers and lunches. It also freezes well, so you can make 1 big pot and have half for dinner now and half for dinner in the future!

I always use:
~12 cups stock/bouillon of choice
1 deli chicken *see note
1 onion
4 or 5 carrots
4 or 5 celery stalks
2 bay leaves

Depending on mood/what's on hand, the starch will be either:
2 potatoes
1 cup orzo pasta

Begin with your big ass pot and chop and drop the onion, carrots, celery, and potato, if using. Fill with about 12 cups of stock, or water and bouillon. Throw in the bay leaves and bring up to a simmer, letting it hang out about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, remove all the skin and bones from the deli chicken and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. (Note: I always purchase the low-sodium option. Also look to see if your store sells them after a certain hour for a discount. My store puts them in the refrigerated area so they're not shriveling under the heat lamps and marks them down half-price after a few hours. I usually get them for $3.99, which is a better deal than buying a raw one and more convenient!)

If using orzo add once the vegetables become tender along with the chicken. Put the lid on and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the orzo has softened and the chicken has come up to temperature.

This latest batch of chicken and orzo soup was actually really exciting for me! It was the first time I cooked anything using my home made vegetable stock! Because I had kept it bland I did end up adding 1 tsp. of Kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper and it was perfect!

Both Johnny and I were really impressed with the flavor. It had tons of depth and character - tasting like it'd been simmering away for hours, instead of a quick weeknight meal!

Orzo

Eggy in the Middle

I know this particular dish has many, many names, but in my family we always referred to it as "eggy in the middle." We call the little circle of bread a "dunker," since it's usually used to scoop up the extra runny yolk.

1 slice of bread
1 egg
small pat of butter
salt and pepper, to taste

Take a small glass and press out a hole in the center of the bread. You can now either pre-butter the bread, or what I have recently found easier is melting butter in the pan and letting both sides of the bread soak some up. Break the egg into the hole in the bread and season with salt and pepper if you choose (I usually just use a little pepper). Move the white around gently so it is evenly distributed on the heat, taking care not to break the yolk. Once the white of the egg has started to turn more opaque, gently flip the bread and finish over low heat. Move to a plate and eat immediately!


I have always liked mine with a runny yolk, while my brother (and now Johnny) prefer a scrambled egg in the hole. To make this simple change, simply whisk the egg slightly once you have broken it into the hole in the bread and continue cooking as usual.

I love all of the different flavors and textures that come from such a simple dish. The firm egg white paired with the crunchy, buttery bread in each bite is delicious. Add the rich, creamy runny yolk (look I captured a drip!) to dunk each bite in and it's comfort food at it's best! I usually have one for a snack or light meal and two if I'm eating this as a meal in itself.

Did you grow up with this dish, too? If so, what did you refer to it as?!

Blueberries and Sour Cream

Johnny grew up eating this dish as a sweet snack. A little while after I moved in he offered to make it for me. I said yes and expected a small pile of blueberries with a little sour cream to dip in.

What he brought me was a massive bowl of blueberries completely smothered in sour cream. Uhhhhh...? I remember looking up at him as he handed it to me, thinking this had to be a joke?! He just smiled back and told me to try it.

I shrugged and went in for the first bite. Wow! It was some seriously good stuff and I've been addicted ever since. If we have blueberries on hand, we better have a tub of sour cream, too!

Now, I know what you're thinking - "sour cream!?" But this isn't sour cream in its natural form, it's sweetened and trust me, it completely changes the taste and the texture.

1/4 cup sour cream (we favor Breakstone's because it is whey-free and very thick)
1-2 tsp sugar, to taste
1/2 cup blueberries

In a small bowl mix the sour cream and sugar together until it is well incorporated. Johnny prefers his a little more tart, while I add a bit more sugar. Stir well and the sour cream will become silky smooth, changing consistency. Taste for desired sweetness and you won't believe that it's still sour cream! Fold in the fresh blueberries and enjoy!!

Revisit: Taco Pie

Happy Birthday, Mom!


Source

Yes, that is actually a cake! My mom's been a piano teacher for over 30 years so I thought this was fitting!

---

In July I shared my taco aka firework pie with you. It's still at the top of Johnny's list!

When we cooked the queso fundido I thought it was going to be a lighter meal, an appetizer of sorts, and this pie would be the main course.

Wrong! The queso fundido filled us both up, but luckily I hadn't thrown this pie in the oven yet. I assembled it up to the point of baking, threw plastic wrap on it and left it in the fridge for the next night's dinner.

What a great feeling to have dinner already made the next day. From that point all I needed to do was turn the oven on and pop this pre-made dish in for 30 minutes.

Delicious as ever, served with sliced avacado and sour cream on top. There are enough leftovers for Mexican dinner #3 of the week!

In other exciting news I was a runner up for Pioneer Woman's Vocabulary Quiz #1!

Johnny and I raced through the answers and managed to be lucky comment #166 to win a $75 Amazon gift certificate! We've entered about a dozen of her Smartypants quizzes, only getting all the answers correct for maybe 4 or 5. It was really cool to finally win a prize in one! Now if only I could be so lucky when she's giving away Le Crueset sets or Kitchenaid Mixers!!

Beef Fried Rice

Johnny wanted to order fried rice for dinner, but I offered to make some at home instead! I still had some leftovers I wanted to use, so this was the perfect opportunity. I was able to use some veggies from the Christmas platter and the steak and mushrooms from Gene & Georgetti's.

2 cups cooked white rice
1 tsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup brocolli, chopped
1/2 cup snap peas, string removed
3 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
~1/2 cup leftover steak, chopped
~1/4 cup leftover mushrooms
1 egg

Cook the white rice and set aside. Let your stovetop wok heat up, then add the oil and the veggies (except the mushrooms) and garlic. Put the lid on so they can become tender.

Throw the cooked rice on top and add the sauces. Stir around until everything is incorporated. Make a small well in the center and crack and scramble the egg until it is cooked and then stir to mix.

Finally, add the steak and mushrooms to come up to temperature. These were already full cooked, so they only need to be warmed.

Honey Mustard Chicken Nuggets

I really have no idea where I got this recipe, but it was an instant favorite and my mom always put me in charge of making it. At the time my cousin lived with us, and her and my brother would gobble this up. I'd make it in 2 lb. batches!

It's been years since I made it, too. But when Alisa asked for holiday recommendations in the categories of: kid-friendly, vegan, dips, and a token German recipe I had to think for a minute and this was jogged from deep within my memory! I already had chicken breasts thawed, so Johnny made it for us that night-- I couldn't wait to relive it!

The original recipe was one of those that had unnecessary details and steps. After many times making it, it evolved into this simple, 3 ingredient, no-fuss dish.


1 lb. chicken breasts
equal parts honey and mustard of your choice
bread crumbs of your choice

Set oven to 400° and spray a baking pan. Cut chicken into thin strips, or small squares, whichever is your preference.

Mix together the honey and mustard, I usually do about 1/4 cup of each and stir until well combined.

Coat the chicken pieces in the honey mustard mixture, then in the bread crumbs (we used panko because it's whey-free) and place on the pan.

Bake for about 10 minutes, flip, and bake another 5-10 minutes, depending on how thick the chicken pieces are.


Viola! Tender, juicy, moist chicken that is full of flavor and doesn't even need dip because it's already on it! (This also helps in the messy kid department!) However, if you're like me and can never get enough dip, you can always whip up a separate batch of the honey mustard mixture that was not used to coat the raw chicken in!

Served alongside (first time ingredient alert) polenta, which I picked up in a small, awesome grocery in DC (yes, I souvenior shopped at a grocery store, are you surprised?) and steamed broccoli.

To reheat, simply warm the tenders in a toaster oven until heated through and the coating is crispy.

Skillet Sausage

I love grilling the homemade sausage my dad made for maximum charred smokey goodness, but that's not feasible half of the year.

That's ok, because cooking them in a skillet is almost as tasty!

Bring a medium skillet up to heat and add just a touch of oil. Brown both sides of the sausage (this was the sweet Italian links) on medium high until they get a nice color. Then turn the heat to medium, add about a half of a cup of water, and cover the pan. Let cook for about 10 minutes on each side, then drain off the water. Leave the lid off and let both sides crisp up again a few minutes on each.

My dad also showed me this trick while he was here. It works for the grill or the oven. Wash a whole green pepper and rub with a little bit of oil. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, flipping a few times until the entire pepper is tender. Cut in half, remove the seeds and stem and pull off any loose skin. Ohhh man, this is so delicious, it steams itself and is so tender and juicy.

I never fully appreciated green peppers until I moved here and had the option of adding "sweet peppers" to sandwiches at local eateries. Chicagoans really know how to treat the green pepper! During Lent there is a pepper and egg sandwich that will knock your socks off. I'd never heard of this before living here and the first year I thought it meant an egg with black pepper on it! Boy was I mistaken. Scrambled eggs, these sweet green peppers, melted, gooey cheese, all on a big crusty roll... can it get any better?

Oh. Sorry ... back to the sausage!


After letting it rest for a few minutes, I cut three of the links on a bias for Johnny and me to split between us. I love smelling this sausage as it cooks, it's such a familiar scent in my memory!

These were served alongside Laura's cheesy cabbage I've made once before. It has definitely reached "staple" level at our house. Generations to come in my family will hear about the wonderful Queen of All and her magnificant dish!

Everybody all together now! "Cheeeeese!"


If you guys haven't tried this cabbage dish yet, you really need to. My cousin, Anne-Marie tried it out, but with a twist!

Instead of cooking just the cabbage as a side dish, her recipe made a more substantial main dish by adding potatoes, onions, and other spices!

Southwestern Rice and Bean Bowl

Thank you, past and present veterans for your services, bravery, commitment, honor, heroism, and in some cases, your lives, in keeping America and her citizens safe and free!

This past June Johnny and I went with some other family members to a memorial of the 65th anniversary of D-Day. There were 250 WWII veterans there, including over 50 who were on the beach in Normandy during D-Day. Many wore their uniforms, a lot were in wheelchairs, but all held their heads up high and just nodded a quick, modest acknowledgement if you thanked them for their services. During the raising of the colors and singing of the national anthem, all of them, even the wheelchair bound, stood and put their hands on their hearts, or saluted. I had never seen anything like it, and it brought tears to my eyes then and now, remembering it. If you ever have a chance to experience something like that, visit a memorial, visit a museum, or even talk to a relative that's a veteran, I highly suggest it. I will never look at Veteran's Day or Memorial Day in the same light for the rest of my life.

(The above picture is a portion of the crowd bowing their heads in prayer and remembrance as a 92 year old chaplain and D-Day veteran speaks.)



I posted this dish way back when I started the blog, but I rambled on forever and didn't even post any pics! Bad food blogger!

This is a stand-by favorite in our house. We have it maybe once or twice a month.

1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 cup salsa of choice (we use Newman's Own)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans, drained
toppings of choice

In a medium pot add the rice and water (you could substitute quinoa, which I've done before). Bring to a boil, stir, and reduce to simmer, covered. Set the timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir in the salsa, corn, and black beans. Turn the heat up just a hair, return the lid, and set the timer for another 10 minutes.

Serve in a big bowl.

Then sprinkle cheese over top.

Then put a dollop of sour cream.

If you wanted, you could also slice up avocados, serve with chips, or other toppings of your choice. Get creative!

We continued with the southwestern theme and served up with big glasses of icy margaritas, rimmed in salt!


We won the glasses, tequila, and margarita mix at the Halloween party, remember?!