Cabbage Becomes Casserole For Dinner

Beautiful cabbage

Large pan of cabbage and potatoes

Shopping at Giant recently I was captivated enough to buy an amazingly fresh-looking green cabbage. I brought it home and wondered for a whole day how I would cook it rather than staring at it in wonder. I even photo'd it as I was impressed with how it looked. So I tweeted about what I should do with it and a friend tweeted back with some ideas about combining the cabbage with potatoes and onions. So I steamed some of the chopped-up cabbage, boiled some sliced potatoes and cut onions in rings. I also fried some nitrite-free lowfat bacon and considered some suitable spices to add (sprinkles of cumin and a pinch of salt).  So I made three layers of cabbage, onions and potatoes, adding in the cut up cooked bacon and spices. I also sprinkled in some layers of mozzarella cheese. I cooked the whole thing for about 40 minutes in a hot oven and served it steaming hot. And photo'd the final dish even though you really can't see the cabbage pieces inside which were different shades of yellow and green when cooked.  This was a tasty and delicious meal.  Even cabbage-hating hubster ate some of it. If someone was vegetarian, I imagine they could substitute something else for the bacon, but that flavor seems essential to me when combined with the cabbage. Simply deelish!

The Best Pizza is Homemade

We're a bit suspicious of ordering pizza because we are not really sure what ingredients they are using and the pies are often too greasy. So I've got in the habit of making our own. The trick is to have available some pizza dough such as a mix from Pillsbury or Betty Crocker, or even Bisquick and to have enough to stretch thinly into the whole pan.  Then, all it takes is sprinkling a little salt and herbs on the dough crust first before adding the cheeses, onions, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  We use mozzarella and goat cheese or whatever is left over, such as a bit of cheddar or Gouda either sliced or grated, or some crumbled feta cheese. You can also add any left-over meats or vegetables such as sliced sausage, or chicken, green beans, or whatever you like. We're actually planning to make a ham and pineapple one too which is pretty easy as you don't need much ham and there's always a can of pineapple somewhere.  This one -- made with sliced smoked portobello sausage left-over -- was a great Sunday dinner, thanks be to God.

Pizza For Friday Dinner in DC

I made homemade tomato, onion, and cheese pizza this evening using a dough that was pre-made that I pressed out to make a Chicago-style pizza crust. First, I brushed both sides with olive oil and then added on the ingredients. These were chopped fresh tomato and diced onion, grated mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and Italian spices. I then cooked it for 15 minutes at 425F in our gas oven. We ate it piping hot and it was delicious, said my husband. It also looked very good.

Ate the first tomato from my DC garden

On this beautiful sunny day with a blue sky, 80s and a breeze to keep you cool --if you stood still and let the sun soak you --I ate the first tomato that ripened in my DC backyard garden. Totally deelish. I ate it with some of the lettuce I had grown and my favorite Ranch dressing. Sheer bliss. I can hardly wait for the rest of them to ripen. Last time I looked at the two tomato plants I have there were over 2 dozen tomatoes that were still that lovely bright green that they are before they tinge yellow and you know that they will ripen soon after that. Huge clumps of tomatoes ripening in my garden! Such a gift from God! I'm already thinking about how I will cook or eat them. Such as sliced with mozzarella. Or chopped into garlic and vinegar. Or cooked with eggs and cheese. And maybe I'll get some bacon and make my very favorite sandwich, a BLT. I'm really not that much of a foodie, but anything I grow myself is inspirational in terms of cooking. Obviously, I have to grow more food! Thank God for sunshine!