Filed under: Country, italian food | Tags: cabbage, cabbage rolls, cooking, family, Food, hamburger, marinara sauce, Recipes, rice, stuffed peppers
A wonderful italian style tomato, rice and meat mix that can be used for both stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls. Both of these are great entrees or side dishes, take your pick. If you like stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls you’re gonna love these.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients: Tomato Sauce
1 28oz. can whole tomatoes
1 28oz. can water
1 6oz. can tomato paste
1 teas. salt
3/4 teas. pepper
4 teas. sugar
1 teas. garlic powder
2 teas. onion powder
1 big tbsp. dry oregano
Method: Tomato Sauce
Add everything to a medium size sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low to medium low and simmer covered for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Your sauce is ready.
Ingredients: Rice
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups beef broth
Method: Rice
Bring the beef broth to a boil and then add your rice. Bring back to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until done. Your rice is ready.
Ingredients: Tomato, Rice and Meat Mix
2 lbs. ground beef (15%)
1 onion (small to medium dice)
1 green pepper (small to medium dice)
4 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
1 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 teas. pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil
your tomato sauce and rice
Method: Tomato, Rice and Meat Mix
Add olive oil first and then the ground beef to a large deep skillet or stock pot (something big enough to hold the meat, rice and sauce) and start to brown on high heat.
After your meat is about half way browned, about 8-10 minutes, add the salt, pepper, garlic, onion and green pepper and continue cooking on high until the meat starts to sear.
Reduce heat to low and add all but 1 1/2 cups of your sauce to the meat.
You’ll need the sauce for the cabbage rolls later. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
After about 20 minutes, stir in your cooked rice and cook for another 5 minutes or so to incorporate all of the flavors.
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for about 10 minutes.
Your mix is ready.
Ingredients: Stuffed Peppers
3 bell peppers (cut in half and seeded)
1 1/2-2 lbs tomato, rice and meat mix (5-6 cups)
3 slices white bread (for breadcrumbs)
4 oz. cheddar cheese (shredded)
Method: Stuffed Peppers
Run the bread through a food processor to make breadcrumbs, or, tightly wad the bread into a ball and grate using the shred side of a box grater.
Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together to make your topping.
Arrange the hollowed out peppers in a baking dish and stuff as much of the meat mixture into the peppers as you can.
Use a spoon and really push the mixture down into the pepper to get rid of any air spaces.
Sprinkle your breadcrumb topping over the top and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest about 10 minutes, serve.
Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients: Cabbage Rolls
1 1/2-2 lbs tomato, rice and meat mix
your leftover 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 head green cabbage (leafed)
4 oz. monterey jack cheese (shredded)
4oz. cheddar cheese (shredded)
Method: Cabbage Rolls
Note: the cabbage is easier to work with dry so don’t wash it before you start.
Place the cabbage, core side up on a cutting board. Take a small knife and carefully cut the leaves away from the core. This will make it easier to remove whole leaves.
Gently pull the leaves off to keep them in tact. They will get smaller as you go and harder to keep whole but go slow and try to keep the leaves as big as possible.
Cut out the stem part of the bigger leaves. The stem part in the smaller leaves are fine, they’re more tender.
Place the cabbage leaves in a big bowl or colander and wash them off.
Steam the leaves (a few at a time) by placing them in a steamer insert over boiling water and steam, covered, for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the leaves. The outer leaves will take a little longer.
If you don’t have the insert you can place a metal colander or strainer over a pot of boiling water and cover, this does the same thing.
Transfer the steamed leaves to a plate, they’re ready for rolling. Add about 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce to the bottom of a baking dish and spread it out.
To roll, spoon the meat mixture across the center of 1 big leaf, or, 2 to 3 smaller ones, roll it up and place in your baking dish. Continue until your dish is full 8-10 rolls.
Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and sprinkle cheddar and jack cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand about 5 minutes, serve.
Both of these recipes have great flavor and there is enough of the tomato, rice and meat mixture for one tray of cabbage rolls and 3-4 whole pepers or 6-8 halves. These are great on a nice summer afternoon.
Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
Filed under: Country, italian food | Tags: casserole, cooking, family, Food, pasta, Recipes, spaghetti, tettrazini, turkey
Shredded dark meat turkey in a flavorful white cream sauce with vegetables, pasta and a crispy breadcrumb topping. This is very easy to put together and the flavors blend together perfectly. Great for a summer dinner, this is definitely comfort food.
Ingredients: White Sauce
1 1/2 cubes butter or margarine
1 stalk celery (small dice)
1/2 onion (small dice)
4 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
1/2 green pepper (small dice)
5 tbsp. flour
6 cups milk
1/4 cup “pink” type wine (something you would drink)
3/4 teas. pepper
2 teas. dry parsley
1 teas. dry oregano
1 teas. dry marjoram
2 tbsp. powdered chicken bullion (4-5 cubes)
8oz. monterey jack cheese (shredded)
Method: White Sauce
Over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine in a medium size sauce pan and add the onions, garlic,celery and green peppers.
Saute for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
Stir in the flour to make a roux, this should take about 5 minutes.
Pour the milk in a little at a time while stirring and add the wine and seasonings. Reserve the cheese.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 15-20 minutes or when a skin starts to form. At this point add your cheese and stir until it has melted. Remove from heat and cover. It’s ready.
FOR THE TURKEY
I roasted a whole turkey (about 13lbs.) simply by smearing margarine all over it and roasting it on a rack set inside a roasting pan. 350 degrees for about 3 1/2 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees. I’m just using the dark meat for this recipe but you can use light meat or a combination. You’ll need about 2lbs. of meat.
If you don’t want to roast a whole turkey the deli section of your local grocery store probably has deli style turkey. You can ask them to cut a 2lb. slice and just cut small chunks out of it. This way is also good but not as good as freshly roasted turkey.
Ingredients: Turkey Tettrazini
2lbs. cooked turkey (large shred is best)
white sauce
1 1/2 lbs dry spaghetti noodles
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (or whatever you like)
water for pasta
1 tbsp. salt (for pasta water)
BREAD CRUMB TOPPING
6 slices white bread
4 oz. cheddar cheese (shredded)
4 oz. monterey jack cheese (shredded)
Method: Turkey Tettrazini
Boil about 1 gallon of water in a large stock pot and add the salt and the pasta and boil for 8-12 minutes or until your pasta is al dente, turn heat off.
Add your mixed vegetables directly to the hot pasta water and let steep for about 5 minutes, covered, or until the vegetables start to soften.
What this will do is to help cool the pasta down.
It will also help to thaw and partially cook the vegetables. This will save you time and dishes.
Drain your pasta and vegetables and add them back to your pot. Stir in your sauce and turkey. Your tettrazini is ready.
Method: Breadcrumb Topping
Take 3 pieces of bread and tightly wad it up into a ball. Using the “shred” side of a box grater, shred your bread. It should look like breadcrumbs. Repeat with the other 3 pieces of bread. Or, just run all of the bread through a food processor.
Add the breadcrumbs to a bowl and mix in the cheeses. Your topping is ready.
Assembly: Turkey Tettrazini
This recipe makes 2 small casseroles so divide the tettrazini mixture into 2 baking dishes and spread it out evenly.
Sprinkle half of your topping on each one to cover. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 40 to 50 minutes or when the top turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Chicken can also be used as a substitute for turkey.
One small whole chicken (about 3lbs.) roasted the same way as described for the turkey except the cook time for the chicken will be about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
You will get about 2 to 2 1/2lbs of meat once the bones have been removed. California style frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) also work well with this casserole.
This is a great summer or fall dinner, great with a nice green salad and a piece of garlic bread. The white cream sauce has a nice blend of flavors. The crispy breadcrumb topping adds just the right amount of crunch. This is simple to make and is very versatile.
Enjoy and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
Filed under: 1 | Tags: beef, braised short ribs, cooking, family, Food, marinara sauce, noodles, Recipes, spaghetti
Juicy, tender, melt in your mouth goodness! Short ribs braised in a tomato and wine based sauce and cooked until the meat falls apart. Add some al dente spaghetti, cheese and fresh basil. This is one delicious resaurant quality meal! Grab some garlic bread and a salad and dig in!
Ingredients: Braised Short Ribs with Spaghetti
2 lbs. short ribs
1 green pepper (sliced)
1/2 onion ( sliced)
4 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
1 teas. dry marjoram
1 1/2 teas. dry oregano
1 teas. dry basil
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can water
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. dry spaghetti noodles
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
Method: Braised Short Ribs with Spaghetti
Start by heating a large skillet to a medium heat. Season your short ribs liberally with salt and pepper.
Add the olive oil to your pan to lightly coat the bottom. Place your ribs, meat side down, into your pan to sear, try to leave them in one place. Moving them around will not allow the meat to brown properly.Cook them for about 6 minutes a side (top and bottom).
Remove them to a plate and add the fresh onions, green peppers and garlic to the pan.
Saute for 4 to 6 minutes or until they start to sweat.
Now add the wine to de-glaze your pan, use a wood spatula to scrape any bits off the bottom of your pan. This stuff is called “fond” and is where concentrated flavors form.
Place the short ribs back into the pan, bone side down.
Add your diced tomatoes, water, marjoram, basil and oregano and about 1/2 teas of salt (to season the the diced tomatoes) to your pan and reduce heat to low with the lid cracked.
All you want at this point is to have the liquid barely bubbling.
Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours stirring and spooning sauce over the ribs about every 30 to 45 minutes.
You’ll know they’re ready when the sauce has reduced by about half and the short ribs start to fall apart.
Cook your spaghetti according to the package instructions.
Place a portion of the spaghetti on a plate, spoon the sauce over the noodles and place a short rib on top.I sprinkled some monterey jack cheese and fresh basil on top of mine.
Add a piece of garlic bread and a salad to round it out. You’re going to love the Italian flare this dish has to offer. The meat is unbelievably tender and the flavor is outstanding!
Enjoy and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
