Cabbage Rolls

Well, we are so thankful to have an abundance of fresh produce from my in-laws. They gave us onions, cabbage, cucumbers, squash and zucchini, green beans and lettuce so far. I sure don’t want this to go to waste because 1) it’s really good, fresh produce, and 2) it’s FREE! So…I don’t eat cole slaw and I didn’t know what to do with the head of cabbage until I started thinking about the cooked ground beef I had in the freezer for just such an occasion. I am pretty sure I have never made or eaten cabbage rolls until tonight, but this won’t be the last time I’m sure. These were awesome! Even DS6 was excited when he saw his plate (and he’s a pretty picky guy). I found this recipe in my Betty Crocker Cookbook and tweaked it ever so slightly. We are watching our weight after all!
1 head of cabbage
1 lb. lean ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 c. uncooked quinoa
1 c. water
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (or two 8 oz. cans)
onion (as much or as little as you prefer—I added two small onions from the garden and they equaled about half a store-bought onion)
16 oz. container of fresh mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. olive oil
onion powder, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Mrs. Dash, to taste

First, add quinoa and water to a small pot, cover and let boil about 10-15 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and onions and let them cook down for a few minutes.
While those ingredients are cooking, add separated cabbage leaves to a pot of boiling water. Let boil until limp (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, put ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, salt and pepper, 1/2 of the tomato sauce and the quinoa, mushrooms, and onions when finished.
In a small bowl, mix the rest of the tomato sauce, lemon juice, and sugar. Set Aside.
In a cabbage leaf, place a small amount of filling (about 1/3 c.). Roll the leaf around the filling much like you would roll a burrito. Place in a slightly greased 9x13 in. pan. Repeat this until all filling has been used.
Pour the small bowl of remaining tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls and bake until heated through and the cabbage is browned a little around the edges (about 30-40 minutes).

NOTES: You will most likely have cabbage leaves left. I just ate the ones I had left over .
The original recipe called for uncooked ground beef and 1/2 c. uncooked instant rice to be combined in the filling. I had cooked ground beef in my freezer that needed to be used, so I changed the original recipe a bit.
I have recently found a love for quinoa because it is soo good for me (and you) and I can eat it on a diet easier than rice. Plus it is full of vitamins and protein.

Raisin Pecan Zucchini Bread

We got a bunch of zucchini out of my husband’s parents’ garden and some of it was too big to grill or sauté and I was sooo……EXCITED! Because big zucchini is PERFECT for making zucchini bread and I LOVE zucchini bread!!!
Around here, we are all trying to watch our eating habits since we returned from vacation where we all gained a bunch of weight!!! (and I mean BUNCH!) I this original recipe from my Betty Crocker Cookbook. I did change a few ingredients around, though. So here is my revised recipe…
3 c. shredded zucchini
1 c. Splenda
2/3 c. sugar (original recipe called for all sugar)
4 large eggs (or 1 c. egg substitute)
2/3 c. natural applesauce (original recipe called for oil)
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. whole wheat flour (original recipe said either all purpose or whole wheat)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1/2 c. raisins

Lower your oven rack so that your bread will be more centered. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray the bottom of two loaf pans.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, sugar, Splenda, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then add the nuts and raisins. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick (if it  comes out clean, the bread is done).
Cool the bread in the pan for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack , then loosen the bread from the loaf pan with a butter knife. Let the bread cool completely, then wrap tightly. It will keep at room temp. for 4 days or refrigerated for 10 days. Or you can do like I am going to if any is left and freeze it.

NOTES: The original recipe says that 3 c. shredded zucchini is about 2-3 medium. I used 4 medium-large zucchini and ended up with enough to make four batches of this recipe (which I did all day yesterday )!
I have found that this bread works really well with the disposable foil pans because it doesn’t overbrown and it comes out of the pan easier.
I have made this bread without the nuts and raisins and it was still super good.
The best way to shred the zucchini is in the food processor. If I had to shred all that zucchini with a cheese grater I would lose my mind!
I wrap my bread first in wax paper, then in aluminum foil to make sure it is tightly sealed.




My oldest daughter helped me make my first batch of this yummy bread yesterday. I was so glad to have such an eager helper!

My Little Blogging Hiatus

OK, so recently I haven't blogged, or menu-planned, or anything else that I usually do...I have been on vacation. It started with a visit to the Army post where my husband was in OSUT. We (there was a bus-load of three adults, 1 teenager, and 5 kids) had family day with him, watched him graduate, and brought him home!!

family day--in front of a portion of the Berlin Wall

DD9 did not want to let her daddy go!

Well, we came home for a few days and then off to Charleston, SC we went for a week! It was awesome! We toured Ft. Sumter, Boone Hall Plantation, Patriot's Point, and lots of other places. We ate lots of good (but not good-for-you) food. We went to a great 4th of July Festival and saw some terrific fireworks (which was definitely a plus considering our town wasn't even doing a fireworks display for the 4th).

Our family at Boone Hall Plantation

DS6 and DD7 at the entrace to Patriot's Point Naval Museum



the kiddos waiting for our carriage tour



the awesome fireworks display in North Charleston





On our way back home, we detoured to Savannah, GA. We had a nice time there until it was finally time to come on home...and we are glad to be back!



the WWII Memorial on River St. in Savannah

Menu Plan for the Week of June 6

I went back to cycle 1 (for the most part) and had great success. As of when I weighed in Friday morning, I was down 20.1 lbs. I had gotten here once before a few weeks ago and just couldn’t make it stick. It was almost like I thought, ‘Ok, I've lost 20 lbs., let’s see how quickly I can put some weight back on.’ Anyway, this promises to be a hectic week of soccer practices and games, field trips, and our last week of school—not to mention we are getting ready to attend my husband’s graduation so we will be packing and cleaning the house…..

Monday: frozen meals because of multiple soccer practices and games after school

Tuesday: freezer meal (chili)

Wednesday: grilled fish and veggies

Thursday: baked turkey tenderloin and veggies

Friday: breakfast for supper

Saturday: freezer meal (lasagna?)

This is linked to Organizing Junkie

I Married My Best Friend

Today, 12 years ago, I married my best friend! Yes, I know it sounds cliché and it was on invitations in a catalog at the time we were planning our wedding, but it is true. My husband is my “soulmate”. I just want to say, “Happy Anniversary Babe!” (We’ll get to celebrate when he finishes his basic and MP training.) Here’s for 12 more!!