Last of the Tomatoes

Hello one & all...it's been so busy around here the last week or so. Had my sister, my niece and my Mom out yesterday. (As well as two extra "kid-friends.") My sister brought most the fixings for cabbage rolls (or Golumpki's as we Polish people call them...) and we whipped up 40 or so. 20 for her family and freezer and 20 for dinner last night. Mashed potatoes and fresh frozen corn off the cob...my favorite meal. While we visited before and after that mass production I made a peach struessel pie and a crumb top apple. Used frozen crust that I picked up a while back on the verge of expiring...haven't yet gotten the hang of homemade crust. It is edible but store bought is better if that tells you anything! Finished canning up the last of my tomatoes (7 quarts) and made up a batch of peach jam. ( Cannot beat the deals on seconds at the farmers market...1/4 buschel for $3...so yummy and 1/4 buschel of Cortland apples for $3!) Planning on a batch of peach/blueberry jam today and that will finish out the jams for the year...got an offer from someone to purchase some jars but after the great bake-off last weekend I am already a bit short for the year. I plan to make up some apple jelly for the first time this year and if all goes well with that I may reconsider the offer... per special request I have shared my families cabbage roll recipe. So easy and so very good...serve with mashed potatoes and corn. Rye bread and butter are an extra special touch!

Cabbage Rolls

medium to large head of green cabbage
3# ground beef or venison
3 cups cooked rice
small onion, diced and softened (I usually just microwave for a minute or two)
3 big cans tomato sauce
3 cans condensed tomato soup

Create a square cut around the core of the cabbage at least 2/3 deep into the head of cabbage. Put cabbage in a large pot of water and boil/simmer till soft enough to peel off the individual leaves without breaking. Transfer leaves to a separate bowl to drain, cook a little/ peel a little till most of the cabbage is peeled away for use. (Keep the tiny head that is left and use for soup or sauteed cabbage ...use a bit of olive oil and some salt, pepper and celery seed...Yum!) Mix meat, rice, onion and 1/2 big can of tomato sauce together in a large bowl. Fill cabbage leaves with meat mixture and roll "taco style" placing open side down in roaster pan. (If you have a bit of meat leftover simply crumble on top and it will mix with the sauce.) Mix remaining tomato sauce and condensed soup together with a whisk and pour over. Cover and cook at 350 degrees for about 2 hours.

A little crisp on top is AOK, if this bothers you spoon sauce over rolls every 45 minutes or so...so very good! Blessings, Eve