Cabbage rolls and a wedding

I was supposed to come back! Eeps! I got hopes up for a great post then I went on another hiatus. Unfortunately my thesis-writing is taking up all of my free time. That and making cabbage rolls. Well, not really, just tonight. And for you all, I'll give you the recipe because it's just super awesome.

These are a few things I'll be updating on this week (promise):

• wedding planning (it's coming up in about 6 months!)
• food (I've been doing a lot of cooking and baking lately and have found some amazing recipes)
• school (because who doesn't like a good torture story, even after Halloween)

Missed you all, and hope to get back into the blogging community, stat.

And now for the Super Fantastic Mennonite-Style Cabbage Rolls

If you've never tried Cabbage Rolls or say you don't like them, I beg you to try this recipe. I never ever liked them until I tried my Grandma Friesen's, and they are delish. Especially the next day when heated up for lunch! (or breakfast if you're not such a great eater ;) )

Ingredients (Yields 8-10 cabbage rolls)

1 head savoy cabbage (this cabbage has the mildest taste and when steamed, rolls and stretches nicely for an easy roll)

Filling
1 c. long grain white rice (pre-cooked)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lg. white or yellow onion or 1 sm. onion, chopped
1 large egg
bouquet garni (this is a bunch of herbs tied together used for soup stock, but you can use the herbs individually like I do, 1 tsp parsley 1tsp oregano 1tsp rosemary 1 tsp thyme)
salt & pepper to taste

Sauce (Gravy)
14 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. onion flakes
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
bouquet garni
1 Tbsp molasses
1 c. water
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Boil up and cook your rice and set aside

2. Remove the core of the cabbage and then take off 8-10 leaves and steam them so they're malleable.

3. In a bowl, mix filling (add all ingredients together and stir), and in a separate bowl, mix up the sauce (add all ingredients together and stir).

4. Grab a large casserole dish, pyrex or what have you, and spray with cooking oil. Pour a bit of the sauce on the bottom and spread around.

5. Take a cabbage leaf and put about 2-3 Tbsp of filling in the middle. Roll from the outer edge of the leaf in toward where the leaf was connected to the core. I find it easiest to take the outer edge, wrap it over the filling once, bring in each of the sides to lock it in, and then finish rolling over to the core. Continue, lining all of the cabbage rolls up in the dish.

6. Pour remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls, making sure to cover all of them thoroughly.

7. In a 350 degree pre-heated oven, bake cabbage rolls (covered) for 45 minutes.

8. Enjoy! Serve with mashed potatoes for the best supper ever!