Haluski

Hey, hey, hey! Good to see you all again!  Summer is coming!  Yeahhh! I love Spring myself but hot summer days make me happy too.

Today I am sharing haluski with you. It is a super easy, one pot dish. Popular in variations in Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia etc.  It is SO good and you can use pancetta, bacon, or Kielbasa for your protein! Got to love options!

This is definitely a less than 30 minute recipe and all you need is one pot and a spoon. I make mine a little different than most people. You can add chopped onion but we skip it! Let's get to it!

VIDEO!

You will need:

1 ring of Kielbasa 

3 Tbsp Butter

1 small Head of Cabbage

2 Tbsp mined Garlic

4 cups Chicken Broth

12 oz bag of Egg Noodles

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot add in Kielbasa cut into coins.  Lightly brown and then add in butter.  Let melt and drop in your garlic (and onion if using it).  Let cook while stirring for 2 minutes then add in cabbage shredded or chopped small. This will start to wilt down, stir and cook for approx 5 minutes.  Stir constantly!  Next is the chicken stock. Add it in let come to a boil, when it does add in egg noodles.  Give it a good stir.  The stock won't come to the top but don't panic.  Put the lid on and cook for the time suggested on the noodle package.  Stir a couple times and get the lid back on!  When it is done Stir again and let sit 5 minutes before serving.  Delicious!

ENJOY!

Egg Roll In A Bowl

Hello my friends!  I do hope this new recipe finds you enjoying the beginning or summer and warm weather!

This is a recipe I was introduced to by my friend Nacine.  She follows a ketogenic way of eating and this recipe was a must make from the moment I saw it.  I know there are 10,000 versions but I wanted to make this one.  Nacine and I have collaborated by picking a recipe of each others and making it.  Check out her channel and see what she thinks of my Quick Pickles!  You can click here.

This turned out just as amazing I thought it would.  It literally tastes like the inside of an egg roll and I love egg rolls!  I want to note a couple of things I did differently. She used broccoli slaw and I used cabbage slow mix.  Whichever you use, it will be amazing.  I used ground turkey and she used ground beef.  Again....whatever you choose is going to be perfect.  Ready for it?  Me too!

You will need:
1lb ground beef, turkey or pork
1, oz16 pkg slow mix (cabbage or broccoli)
2-3 stalks of celery chopped
1 cup shredded carrots (2-3 or cheat and use already grated!)
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp pepper (black or white)
2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

In a high sided pan brown your ground meat.  If you ground meat rendered a lot of fat, drain it off!  Add in onion powder, garlic, pepper and veggies.  Mic until completely combined, stirring on medium heat.  When all ingredients are combined, taste it, see if you need to adjust any seasonings.  When you have it just perfect, turn heat to LOW, put the lid on and let sit for 405 minutes.  If you want very soft veggies let it go about 7 minutes.

This is really delicious and it will be a staple in our house from now on!  I hope you enjoy it too!

Might I saw, you could roll this up in some egg roll wrappers and have legit delicious egg rolls too!

Egg Roll Stuffed Chicken

Sounds delicious doesn't it?  It is!  There is a hot topic for me involved in this recipe.  It is the whole dark meat vs. white meat, thing.

Let's just talk chicken for a minute.  By the way, I wish I had chickens, although I am scared of them if one bit me, I could just eat it.  How bad can that turn out?  Not really, the reality is I would name them try to dress them, and hug them VERY much against their will.  They would be in family photos and it would be way over the top.  That is how I am with animals.  I would never be able to live with myself knowing that my chicken son "Chuck" was on the dinner table.  I just couldn't.  Wait, this isn't the chicken conversation I wanted to have.

The conversation I wanted to have involved, white, dark, bone in, boneless, skin on, skinless, etc.....  Everyone has a very distinct preference it seems.  I used to prefer just white boneless meat until boneless thighs came along, and since I grew up and started cooking, I realize you can't beat the flavor of a piece of bone in chicken.  Regardless of what you prefer, please trust me when I tell you that just because it is white mean does NOT mean it has to be dry!  I hear so often, "Oh I don't like white meat, it is to dry".  That would mean it was overcooked.  Why is it that some people will overcook the CRAP out of anything they can get in an oven or on a grill?  Thermometers are our friends!  The point is, this recipe does call for boneless chicken.  I used thighs as we love them but you choose what you would like.  Either way it will be healthy, and tasty, and served on a bed of rice (fried rice) you will have people thinking you are a culinary legend!

Here is what you will need
7-9 boneless skinless thighs or breasts.  (Pounded thin or butterfly the breasts to easier rolling)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1, 1lb bag of shredded coleslaw mix with carrots
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried ginger
3 T soy sauce
1/4 tsp. white pepper (regular pepper will also do)
 2 T. additional vegetable oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  If you are using chicken breasts, either butterfly them open or pound them thinner for easier rolling.  I used thighs and this made 8-9 but using breasts, go with 7 or so.  Set aside.

In a large high sided skillet or wok, heat up your 1 tsp of vegetable oil.  Add in the cabbage mix, and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.  Add in the rest of the ingredients, ginger and soy sauce.

Stir to combine and continue stirring until the cabbage is soft and reduced by half.  Turn off heat and let it cool completely.

Place a large spoonful of mixture into the center of each piece of chicken and roll it up.  Use toothpicks if you need them to stay together better.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet.  Do with with all of the chicken.  Now, use a paper towel and wipe out your pan, place your 2 tablespoons of oil and let it get hot again.  Place 2 or 3 pieces of chicken at a time, seam side down in the oil and let them brown for approximately 3 minutes on each side.

Just get some good color on them and then place back onto the baking sheet.  When you are done, bake them for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Serve on some rice for a tasty dinner!!!  Check out the recipe suggestions below for other options to go with this meal!

ENJOY!

If you like this recipe, you might like....
Egg Drop Soup
Chicken Spring Rolls
Wonton Soup

Scalloped Cabbage

Weird right?  I know!

It is a new year, I wanted to start it off with something you thought was going to be healthy but alas, is not.  HA!  I was looking through an old cookbook of my sisters, it is from our hometown church 30 years ago!  I found some recipes in there that I had never heard of or eaten so I took the liberty to find one I thought we might enjoy and go with it. 

What is it about these old cookbooks.  The way they wrote recipes is bizarre.  I mean, they call for ingredients that should be an entirely different recipe on their own, but aren't and there is no recipe FOR them.  They only sometimes give oven temps and even have little notes in parenthesis that say things like "even if cabbage is hard on your stomach you can usually eat this".  What does that have to do with anything?  Who thought to put that in there?   I even found a recipe for "Mock Chicken", made with hamburger?!?!

Anyway, I love cabbage.  So if you love cabbage, you should try this.  I made a few command decisions on this one.  The recipe was very vague, with you making many choices so I made them and should thank me for it, it is awesome!

And really, "even if cabbage is hard on your stomach youc an usually eat this". Mwaaahahaha! Why does that crack me up so much?

You will need to make a white sauce first, so here is what you need for that:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk (called for sweet milk, wth is sweet milk in a savory dish??? go with regular!)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add flour.  Cook for 1-2 minutes whisking constantly.  Add in milk and continue to whisk until it is creamy and thick.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  You don't want it to taste like nothing so make sure to season well with both.  Set it aside and move to the next steps.

For the rest of the recipe you will need:
1 sm/med head of cabbage  (no need to fret this to much at ALL)
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Chop your cabbage into chunks.  Not shreds, not HUGE chunks just get 'er down to size peeps.  Bring a large pot of water to boil and get it in.  Boil for 5 minutes and then drain.

In a small casserole, I think I used about a 7x10 (ish) casserole.  Lay half of your cabbage on the bottom.  cover with half of the white sauce, and half of the cheese.  Get how we are doing this?  Now, add the rest of the cabbage, rest of the white sauce and the rest....................oh the cheese!  

Here is the first layer.



Cover the top with the bread crumbs, salt and pepper again lightly and then drizzle with your melted butter.  You made need a wee bit more butter, ya know, for the sake of the breadcrumbs.  Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes. 

This is unlike anything I have eaten and it is SO good.  I mean seriously.....so different and so good.  So quick and easy.  You will be a rockstar for making a healthy food, UNhealthy!

This is not a sponsored blog but I have one reminder..."Take BEANO before and there will BEANO gas after", 

Your "like to cover all consequences of cabbage eating"chefwannabe

UNstuffed Cabbage Soup

I love stuffed cabbage. I love soup.  So how about UNstuffing the cabbage and making it into a soup?  I thought it was a great idea.  And when I tasted it, I decided it was genius.  I know, I think most of my ideas are genius but, the name of this soup came from my husband.  He thinks he possibly has a future in naming my recipes permanently.   He might, but he can't know this.

We are working hard on "our"  *meaning my husband* vegetable issues.  He hates them but he has to eat them sometimes.  He keeps telling me I can't MAKE him like vegetables anymore than he can MAKE me offer to slurp down a raw oyster.  He has a point.  Hell WILL freeze over before an ANY oyster, specifically a RAW oyster ever touches these lips.  It.  Will.  Not.  Happen.  And I am perfectly fine with that.  Our taste buds are always changing and I am very good at trying things I never have liked before to see if I like them now.  But raw seafood is an entirely different animal my friends.  As I stated before.  It.  Will.  Not.  Happen.  EVER.   I take that back, I told him if he let me put makeup on him, and a wig, paint his nails and dress him like a woman, all on video for you all, I would touch my tongue to a raw oyster.  His reply?  It.  Will.  Not.  Happen.  There ya go.

As far as I can tell it appears, I won.  I got hubs to eat my soup, and he told me it was some of the best soup he had ever eaten.  It is odd, it seems of all veggies to not like, the one he doesn't mind is cabbage.  I just find it interesting.  I am not out to change him and if you don't like something you don't like it, but I DO always appreciate when he tries things and I usually appreciate that he makes me try things too. 

Anyway, I had warned you how much I loved soup and this little soup stretch will eventually pass when I have exhausted making all things into a soup if at all possible!

In our quest to eat healthier, I think that you will enjoy this completely guilt free soup, by the bowlful!  OK so you might want a little crusty bread but, I won't tell, if you won't tell!

Oh wait, I need to refill my coffee.......brb

OK back. 

You will need:
1 lb ground chicken
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 small can of diced tomatoes or 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes (do not drain)
5 cups chicken stock
26 ounces crushed tomatoes (this is the size my Pomi's come in, choose something close)
1 cup instant rice
1- 10oz bag of shredded cabbage or half of a large head, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, brown your ground chicken.  While it is browning it, add in garlic powder, and onion powder.  When it is completely browned add in tomatoes and chicken stock.  Let simmer for 15 minutes.  Add in instant rice and cabbage.  Turn your burner off and cover for 5 minutes.  Remove lid and stir to completely combine all the ingredients.  Keep warm on low while eating! 

This soup is so light yet filling with the rice.  It is perfect for a light lunch or a starter for multi course dinner.  If you are dieting (oh I hate that word) or just making lifestyle changes, this soup is a great one to add to your quick, easy, and healthy repertoire!  I made this post and it has lasted us 2 days already!  We will finish it up tonight!  Great for work lunches too.  Filling but not so heavy you are going to need to hide at your desk napping!

Enjoy this light and delicious soup my friends!

Your "never enough soup" chefwannabe

Kraut Burger

I know you are already sitting there with your head cocked to the side, thanking..."What the heck is THAT"?

Here is the definition per Wikipedia:

A runza (also called a bierock, fleischkuche or Kraut Pirok) is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, pork, cabbage orsauerkraut, onions, and seasonings. They are baked in various shapes such as a half-moon, rectangle, round (bun), square, or triangle. In Nebraska, the runza is usually baked in a rectangular shape. The bierocks of Kansas, on the other hand, are generally baked in the shape of a bun.

I have heard of them called "Kraut Burgers" recently. The sandwich originated in Russia during the 1800s and spread to Germany before appearing in the United States. The term bierock comes from the Russian word pirogi or pirozhki and is the term for any food consisting of a savory filling stuffed dough. The recipe was spread throughout the United States by the Volga Germans and can be found in North and South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas and Nebraska. The term "runza" is registered as a trademark in the United States by Nebraska-based Runza Restaurants

In Nebraska "Runza" is a trademarked fast food chain.  They are delicious.  Well my husband hates them but tonight he loved mine.  He informed me they almost tasted like a White Castle Burger. What?  Anyway, my opinion is, homemade bread makes all the difference.  This is a recipe I got from my mom. Let's get moving on gettin'er done.

Bread Dough for Kraut Burgers
 

5-6 cups of flour

2 pkg's dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups hot water

1/2 cup butter softened

2 eggs

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast and sugar.  Put into stand mixer fitted with a dough hook  and combine completely.  Add butter and hot water, mix 2 minutes and add eggs and 1 more cup of flour.  Let mix for 2 minutes and add remaining 2 cups of flour, 1 at a time.  I had to end up using an extra 1/2 cup.  Let knead for 3 minutes or until your dough is a nice soft dough, not sticky.  Turn out into a bowl sprayed with nonstick spray or vegetable oil and let rise 45 minutes.  While it is raising, let's get to work on the filling!

Filling:

2 lbs ground beef

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup onion, minced FINE  

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup beef stock

2 tbsp butter

American Cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a large pot, add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. (Even if you omit the onions, add the butter.) Add in ground beef and cook until browned and broken up well.  Add Worcestershire sauce and mix thoroughly.  Dump in cabbage (it will wilt a lot) and then mix again. 

Pour in stock and put the lid on and cook for 20 minutes on low stirring occasionally. 

Divide dough into 2 parts.  Roll each section out and cut into 6 pieces.  Put a piece of cheese in the middle (optional) and add as much filling as you can fit on! Bring all the corners to the middle and seal by pinching.
 

Flip over and put onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.   You should get 12 out of this batch of dough and filling.   When you are finished with all of them let them rise for 30-45 minutes.  Brush them with an egg wash or spray with nonstick cooking spray for a nice color.  Bake for 20-25 minutes

We made some round, made some long, just like the real Runza restaurant. That of course was my husband's idea because ya know, husbands get what they want right?  Ok mine does (lovey gushy eyes)  

I hope you enjoy these; I always have to have mine with ketchup!

 

Your "praying I didn't infringe on any copyright crap" chefwannabe

~Cabbage Rolls~

Let's talk cabbage, shall we?  I love cabbage.  You can steam it, bake it, roast it, fry it, make it into soup, make it into sauerkraut, and coleslaw, I could go on and on.  I  remember my mom growing cabbage in our garden as a kid, I don't remember loving it as a kid.  Is cabbage an adult vegetable?  It kind of feels like it is.  Just like asparagus pronounced in my family as (ass-per-a-guhs).  Some vegetables I think you have to acquire a taste for, and for me cabbage is that.  Not to mention a tolerance of the SMELL!

This being said, I don't remember how I was introduced to cabbage rolls.  Maybe my husband?  I only made them for the first time maybe 2 or 3 years ago.  I have had a couple of requests for some healthier dishes and looking at my history, yea, don't have so many of those!  We do eat healthier food than I blog on a regular basis, but all things in moderation, right?  We aren't rabbits!   However, this dish is so healthy I think even healthy eaters only will say, "DAMN that IS healthy"!!!  It is so tasty and flavor can truly be added in so many ways that aren't salt!  I do use cans of tomato soup, BUT, you can get the healthy request, or change it out for something else.  I like the creamy tomato, it sticks to the cabbage rolls and just "feels" right for me.  I have done them with my own sauce, plain diced tomatoes (to watery), I like the tomato to be almost like gravy.  Pureed veggies add a world of difference and my husband even LOVED them!! 

Cabbage Rolls
1 head of cabbage
1 lb ground turkey
1 stalk of celery
1 medium shallot (2 small)
1 carrot
1 clove of garlic
1 cup instant white rice
2 cans of tomato soup
1/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and Pepper to taste (1 use 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper)

(If you have no fresh veggies on hand use, 1 tsp each, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp season salt of your choice)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  There are a couple of methods you can choose here.  First, and foremost cut the core from your head of cabbage.  Now is where you have options, 1)put it in a microwave safe bowl half filled with water, cover tightly with plastic wrap and nuke on high for 5 minutes.  This should cook your cabbage enough to peel off the leaves and it will cook the rest of the way in the oven. 2) Go the old fashioned route *which I know works well* and boil in a pot of water for 10-15 minutes, lid ON.   When it is done,  let cool while you prepare the filling.  Make sure your cabbage is 80-90 percent cooked through or you risk it not cooking ALL the way and that is a bummer.

In a food processor add in a roughly chopped stalk of celery, carrot, garlic and shallot, along with a splash of chicken stock or water.  Zap it until it is almost completely pureed.  Add to a mixing bowl, add turkey and rice and combine thoroughly.  Salt and pepper to taste.  My husband thought mine was perfect, I would have preferred more salt, which I added at the table.

Now, carefully peel the leaves one at a time from your head of cabbage.  You will get 8-10 rolls out of this amount of meat mixture. You may need to cut the thick tough middle from the leaves as shown.  Add your mixture and closing the "V" by bringing the sides together to overlap slightly roll your cabbage like you would a burrito!

Place in 9x13 pan and continue until all of your mix is used.  Some may be bigger or small, it doesn't matter!

Combine in a small bowl 2 cans of tomato soup and chicken stalk.  I peppered this well.  Pour carefully over the cabbage rolls and then cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 45-60 minutes, until filling is firm and completely cooked through.

These are fabulous, I hope you try them and love them!  Guilt free eating!  Eat ALOT!!

Your "cabbage smells funny"chefwannabe

Chris

PS.  So I just made these for lunch today (9-4-13) and I added Italian seasoning to the meat mixture and sprinkled some on top.  I used no veggies, just the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Almost like an Italian twist on Cabbage Rolls.  AH-MAZEBALLS.  Just FYI. 

Almost Like Mom's Coleslaw

Happy Labor Day Weekend! 

 

 For so many this means school is about to start (or has started) and the fall weather is coming soon!  Since I didn't start this blog until after the summer, I decided to hurry and post a recipe for something maybe you could use for your Labor Day weekend picnics!  COLESLAW! 

Can I be honest?  I hate coleslaw.  To me, its always some various shade of dingy white, or appears to have no dressing on it at all.  Raw cabbage isn't my favorite thing, so it just seemed unnecessary to even eat it.  Oh but I forgot, at all diners, EVERYTHING comes with a damn side of mystery cabbage in a cup.  Have you ever stopped to think how long its possibly been in their walk in fridge?  Gross.  

Many years ago my husband informed me of one of his food indulgences, ready?  A slice of ham, topped with a pile of coleslaw.  Only thing is, it has to be "like my mom made it".  I have one word.  SWEET.  Everything she made him was, sweet!  He gave me some random ingredients he thought she put in it and I went to town.  I used sugar the first couple of times but it was to grainy, so I went to a simple syrup.  I think I have mastered the coleslaw my husband claims is the ultimate coleslaw.  It has mayo in it, that alone is enough to keep me away like its the plague.  I even have to buy the shredded cabbage mix and then food process it until its basically unrecognizable as cabbage.  I have found however, many people who like it this way.  Here it is....

Almost like Mom's Coleslaw

2-14ounce bags of shredded coleslaw.  Use a regular head if you like, shredded was on sale.

Dressing
1 cup of Hellmans Mayo
Simple Syrup  (1/2 cup sugar and 3 tbsp water dissolved in a small saucepan then let cool completely)
2 tbsp vinegar of your choice (I have also used pickle juice!)
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Put shredded cabbage in your food processor and process until it is in smaller bits.  Place into a large bowl.  Prepare dressing and add to cabbage, mix thoroughly.   

Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.  I like making it the day before.  I just made a batch for Sunday supper tonight and it will have been in the fridge only 3 hours.  

Like I said, this is on the sweet side.  I never had to pay attention to how much of anything I was putting in food until this blog.  I feel so grown up.  It scares me.  

So my husband says this slaw is awesome on top of burgers and BBQ sandwhiches but ham RULES. Whatev....


I know this is short but I wanted to get it posted quickly.  Look for a new blog tomorrow......

LET THERE BE SLAW!

Your "Labor Day Slaw" chefwannabe,

Chris