We received a GIANT cabbage the other day…. like bigger than a LARGE watermelon.   So we've been having plenty of coleslaw, and my mom suggested this easy casserole.   Super delicious,  and easy…   cabbage rolls without all the work!   The kids loved it too (and I remember them not liking regular cabbage rolls).

 

Now if only there was a way to photograph a casserole nicely….   sigh..   don't judge it by looks!

 

 

Cabbage Rice Casserole

1/2 head of cabbage, shredded (small head or 1/4 large)

3/4 cups long-cooking rice, uncooked 

1.5 cups boiling water

1 lb of ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped finely

Bay Leaf

 

Sauce:

1 can tomato soup

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

*mom says you can use sweet pickle juice instead of vinegar and sugar

 

Preheat oven to 375 F

Brown beef with onion.

Place cabbage in bottom of a greased 13x9 dish.   Spread rice on top.  Pour 1.5 cups boiling water over rice.   Spoon beef over top.   Pour sauce evenly over beef, and poke down to bottom with utensil to make sure sauce doesn't overflow, and to get the flavour into the cabbage layer.   Place bay leaf in the top of each dish.

Bake covered  for 1.5 - 2 hours.

 

*if using brown rice… cook for closer to 2 hours

This dish freezes very well, so we made 2 when we made it!  

Enjoy!   I don't know if I'd ever make real cabbage rolls again!

These were tasty and a great use of zucchini and pumpkin.

Pumpkin Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread and Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

2 sticks of butter, softened

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tbsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1 15oz can of pureed pure pumpkin

 

Preheat the oven to 350F

Cream butter, and add eggs one at a time.   Add milk and beat.    Add in pumpkin and zucchini.

In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.  

Add to wet ingredients, being sure not to over mix.

Pour mixture into 2 greased bread pans, or into greased muffin pans.   

Bake  for 45-60 minutes for loaves and 25-35 minutes for muffins (or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

 

*I felt this recipe could use a little extra spices…. maybe a smudge more cloves and cinnamon, but otherwise very tasty.

Rich, moist, and super delicious!

 

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 cup canola oil 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups shredded zucchini 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla until well blended. I found it was best to mix by hand, this mixture ends up being so dry, that the stand mixer was no good, and ended up doing it with a spoon after anyway.

Stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the zucchini and nuts.

The mixture will seem dry… but don't worry, as it mixes, it moistens up, and will hold together in the pan.

Gently press the dough/batter evenly into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until brownies spring back when gently touched or a toothpick comes out clean.

After cooling, top with icing!

Chocolate Icing

1/4 cup butter (room temperature) 2 cups icing sugar 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup milk

I will be the first to admit, I don't follow a recipe for icings…. so you may have to play with the amounts a bit. I always sat art with 1/4 cup butter, and mix in icing sugar and milk until the right consistency is made… then add cocoa til it's flavoured just right. If I need more than is mixed up, I typically just add icing sugar, and milk until it's enough for whatever I'm making. So keep your ingredients nearby to make the perfect icing.

These brownies were delicious… no sign of zucchini, but it's there! :)