Braised Cabbage

Its funny sometimes how recipes come about. How you will start with nothing but slowly an idea forms, changes & grows to then become something delicious! 

Ill never forget how I came up with this recipe. 

I came home from a stay in the hospital & there was little food in the house. I was on a restricted diet & couldn't consume vegetables unless they were thoroughly cooked. One of the only items in the fridge was a head of cabbage so I figured I would just sauté it. Then I decided to use my cast iron skillet. Then thought about adding some liquid & letting it cook in the oven too. The doctor did say "thoroughly cooked". And it all unfolded from there. 

This has rapidly become a staple side dish in our home & I know it will make a great addition to our holiday menu! You really can't beat something that is so easy to make & tastes so good!

What You Will Need: Head of cabbage, butter, chicken broth, croutons, salt & pepper.

Preheat your oven to 375.

Remove a couple of the outer leaves.

Cut the cabbage into quarters.

Cutting in on an angle, removing the thick core.

Then slice the cabbage. 

Using a cast iron skillet or an oven safe pan, melt in a couple tablespoons of butter.

Add in the cabbage & season with salt/pepper

Allow the cabbage to cook for 5-8 minutes. Stirring occasionally till you start getting some nice color.

Now add your stock or broth. Add enough so it comes just shy of half way up the cabbage. Bring it to a boil.

Then place in the oven for 30 minutes. Check it half way to see if you need to add more liquid. 

Place your croutons in a zip lock bag & crush them!!!

You can us bread crumbs for this as well. I have found that these garlic, butter croutons not only add the nice crunchy top but an extra little level of favor. 

At the 30 minute mark your cabbage should look something like this.

Now sprinkle the crushed croutons over the top & place it back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove & serve!

This is a great side dish that goes with just about anything!

This round, we served it up with grilled kielbasa sausage, roasted potatoes & grilled veggies. 

Simple, comforting, savory, crunchy....it really is delicious! 

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!

Hawaiian Kabobs

What You Will Need: Pork, pineapple, onion, garlic, ginger, green onions & soy sauce.

Start with your marinade. Dice the garlic, ginger & green onions. Place in a bowl and add a couple dashes of soy sauce. Dilute the mixture with some water. Set aside. 

Cut the pineapple into chunks. 

Same with the onions.

And pork. Keep the pork pieces on the small side so the cook up quicker. You don't want to end up with burnt onions & pineapple while your meat is still undercooks in the middle.

In whatever order you like, place the ingredients onto your skewers. If you're using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. 

Brush the marinade over the skewers. Set in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. 

Remove them from the fridge 15 minutes before you place them on the grill. Bringing them up to room temperature will provide even, quick cooking.

Place on a hot grill. Remember that the meat will tell you when its ready. If you go to turn it & its sticking, its not ready. Give it another minute or so.

Remove from the grill & they are ready to serve. You can either plate them still on the skewer or remove all the goodies 

We had ours with mashed sweet potatoes & sautéed spinach with pine nuts.

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!

Sweet & Salty Broccoli Salad

Lets kick off the start of summer by making a salad that combines great flavors, textures & is sure to please at your next bbq!

What You Will Need: Broccoli, celery, green onions, fresh dill, peanuts, dried cherries, vinegar (Im using red wine vinegar) & mayo. 

Start by cutting your broccoli into bite size pieces.

Bring a pot of water to a simmer.

Plunge the broccoli into the water and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. You want it to be bright green & still have crunch. No soggy broccoli please! 

While the broccoli is simmering, in a large bowl mix some mayo with your vinegar. I used about 1/2 c. of mayo & drizzled in the vinegar. Mix & taste. 

This combination will vary per your personal preference. So add a little, whisk & adjust. Salt & pepper to taste.

Remove the broccoli & set aside.

Into the creamy, mayo mixture add finely chopped celery, green onions & dill. Fresh dill can be overpowering if you use to much. So again, add a little, mix & taste. 

Add in the hot broccoli, allowing the heat to warm up the flavors of dill & green onions.

Peanuts go in next. 

The last ingredient is those sweet dried cherries!

Combine everything together and give one final taste check. Add salt/pepper if necessary. Place in the fridge to chill.

This salad hits all the key points:

Cool

Creamy

Crunchy

Sweet

Salty

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!