Cabbage Salad = Yummy!

I was excited to do cabbage this week because that is an ingredient I really like. I'm not exactly sure where I got this recipe (some sort of recipe exchange perhaps?) but it was in my recipe file, so I used it. I hope you can follow my train of thought as I go through the recipe. If not, I am truly sorry and I love you all.

Recipe:

1/2 head cabbage, cut up ( I used a whole head because my cabbage was small and I wanted more!)

1 pkg. Top Ramen noodles, chicken flavor, raw (I used teriyaki chicken flavor because I forgot to buy the regular chicken kind and that was all I had in my pantry. It was actually left over from an object lesson in feeding the missionaries or something. It may have been multiple years old, I'm not really sure. Here's the pic if you don't believe me)

4 green onions (I omitted the onions entirely because I hate them. But if you like onions, go for it!)

1/2 c. slivered almonds

Dressing:

2 T. sugar

3 T. white vinegar

1/2 c. salad oil

1tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Flavoring from Top Ramen noodles

Brown almonds in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. (Watch these almonds like a hawk! Do not let them burn. If you can smell them cooking you may already be too late. Please learn from my experience) Mix cabbage, noodles (break up with hands) (I actually broke them while still in the bag using my meat tenderizer. It's all about multitasking in this kitchen.) chopped onions (or not) and almonds. Just before serving, pour dressing over mixture and toss.

I really liked this salad. It worked great as a side for the ever healthy grilled hot dogs that were our main course and it was light and crisp. I think I have had it before with chicken mixed in which would also be nice because it did feel a little bare with the onions left out. I would give this four stars **** but only because I don't think it's quite fancy enough for a dinner party, not because of the taste.

It didn't look quite so pale and sickly in real life, I promise. This is not the Edward Cullen of salads.

Moo-shu Chicken wraps

I'm not a big cabbage-lover, so I looked for a recipe where it's not the main ingredient. I found this one in Family Circle. And, I forgot to take a picture of it before we ate it, so here's the picture from the magazine. It at least gives you a clue what you'd be eating.

Moo-shu Chicken wraps

Makes 10 rolls, 10 mins prep, 10 mins cook time

1 Tb sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bag (10 ounces) shredded coleslaw mix (I used plain shredded cabbage, since that's what I had on hand)

1 bag (8 ounces) shredded carrots (I used shoe-string carrots)

4 scallions (my husband went to 4 different stores and couldn't find any, so we used green onions. 4! What a sweet man, trying to please his wife:)

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 Tb soy sauce

10 flour tortillas (6-inch size)

3 cups shredded cooked chicken (recommended to use rotisserie chicken, but I just shredded some chicken breasts)

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, coleslaw mix, carrots and scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, until vegetables are softened.

2. Stir in the hoisin and soy sauces and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken; stir to combine with vegetables and heat through.

3. To serve, heat tortillas following package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup of mixture down center of tortilla and roll up.

My family liked this pretty well. We all rated it a 3-star meal. We'd make it again, but not for a dinner party. Even my kids ate it without picking out the veggies. My husband thought it would be better wrapped in wonton wraps and baked. I thought some slivered almonds would spice it up as well. I ate it the next day for leftovers, and I almost liked it better cold, when it sat overnight. I'd reccommend this recipe.

(and sorry about the picture...I couldn't figure out how to turn it! The preview pic has it turned. Go figure.)

Green Beans & Cabbage

I found this recipe on Cooks.com.

GREEN BEANS AND CABBAGE
6 strips bacon 1/2 c. chopped onions 1/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. vinegar 3 c. precooked green beans 3 c. raw shredded cabbage Brown bacon; drain, break into pieces. Set aside. Saute onions in bacon grease. Put bacon back in with onions. Add sugar and vinegar, then add cabbage. Cook until tender, stirring often. Once cabbage is tender add the precooked green beans, cook until tender or done.

**Alterations:
1. I used applewood deep smoke bacon.
2. I couldn't find my "normal" vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar to complement the bacon.
3. I added a little more onion and cabbage than it called for, and added less green beans than it said to. It calls for 3 cups, but I only added one can's worth, which was about 2 cups.
4. The recipe didn't say what temp to cook it at, so I just kept it high while cooking the bacon & caramelizing the onions, then med-high for the rest of the time.

**Review:
All in all I would say this recipe was okay. It had a nice little bite to it and was a little bit sweet, which I liked. But, I wouldn't say it would be on the menu for my last meal or anything. I might try making it without adding the green beans to see how that tastes. If you're looking for a cabbage side dish, this one is alright. I'd say keep it at home.

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken

Ok first off: I'm totally bummed cause I actually did last week's challenge with tomatillos but forgot to post my recipe. But, that's ok because it wasn't nearly as elaborate and awesome as the ones other people posted.

Second: I generally LOVE cabbage so I knew I wanted to do this week's challenge. However, I usually just boil cabbage and eat it with butter, salt, and pepper . . . YUMMY! So, this week I had to go outside my cabbage comfort box and get a recipe other than corned beef and hash! Ummmm, yeah. This sounded good, but it really wasn't that great.

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken:

1 pound spaghetti, whole wheat or plain
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Garlic
3 Tbls Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
Couple Dashes of Hot Sauce
2 Tbs Canola oil
2 Tbs Honey
1-2 Cups shredded or cubbed Chicken
1/2 Cup Pineapple
1/2 Cup Green Peppers
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Shredded Cabbage
1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots
3 Tbs Toasted Sesame Seeds

Preparation
- Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and the pasta and cook to al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan. Once warm, add the ginger, garlic, peanut butter, Tamari, hot sauce, canola oil and honey and whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, peppers, onions and pineapple, cabbage and carrots.
- Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. Pour sauce over noodles and toss to combine. Garnish with sesame seeds

** So here's the deal . . . the cabbage was raw so it tasted weird to me on soft noodles. I would have preferred that it was cooked. The onions were a weird flavor to add to the otherwise sweet/spicy dish. And, I did not toast my sesame seeds . . . sorry I am lazy! My husband despises Cabbage so I made this just for myself and Natalie (my almost 2 year old daughter).

All in all, it was ok if you have everthing on hand and need a quick meal. But, I would say "Make it when Desperate"!!!!!

NYC Corned Beef and Cabbage

I had to try this recipe since it was written so hilariously. Even if you don't like cabbage or corned beef and cabbage, you should read this.

Go. Read it.

Because it's so long, I'm not re-posting it here. I did leave out the beer and carrot.

That said, it was very much a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner. My favorite part was the potatoes. Hubby requested it and I'm glad it turned out, because he gave it 5 stars, which I probably would make it for a family dinner party if I were so inclined to have one on St. Paddy's day.

I did recently try another recipe with cabbage, which we all loved so I thought I'd post here since I did the cop-out tonight. Definitely 5 stars. Chicken avocado egg rolls by Guy Fieri of the Food Network. Oh my gosh, a little piece of deep-fried heaven ... I left out the red bell pepper and used yellow onion. Also used almond milk in the egg wash because we are dairy intolerant, and didn't use a dipping sauce. The other difference was in the rolling -- I watched the episode where he did these, and how he did it on there is different than in the recipe. He dipped the entire wrap before filling and rolling it, so you don't have to dip it once it's rolled.

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1/2 cup finely minced red onion
* 1/4 cup finely minced red bell peppers
* 2 tablespoons minced ginger
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots
* 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
* 2 cups chopped chicken breast
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1 cup julienned green cabbage
* 1/2 cup shredded carrots
* 4 cups rice bran oil or canola oil
* 12 egg roll wrappers
* 2 avocados, sliced into 24 pieces
* 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk
* Jarred sweet chili sauce, for dipping

Directions

In a saute pan over high heat, add canola oil. Saute red onions and bell peppers until translucent. Add ginger, garlic, bamboo shoots, celery, chicken, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Deglaze pan with soy sauce. Cool mixture.

In large bowl combine cabbage, carrots and chicken mixture.

In medium saucepan, heat rice bran oil to 350 degrees F. Oil needs to be deep enough to keep egg roll from touching bottom of pan. Add more oil, if needed.

To roll egg rolls, layout egg roll skin with corner facing you, place approximately 1/12th of mixture on roll and place 2 pieces of avocado on top of mixture. Fold corner over mixture, and then fold outside corners over the mixture, making a roll, 4 to 5-inches wide. Roll firmly, being careful not to tear wrapper, and seal the final edge with egg wash.

Dredge the egg roll in egg wash, allow excess to drain off and submerge egg roll in oil. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on sheet tray lined with a cooling rack.

Cabbage: A new use

I'm skipping this week's challenge (because honestly, I don't really care about cabbage...sorry Jillian). However, I wanted to share with you a non-edible use for cabbage.

Bear with me, because it sounds like an old wives' tale, but it's not. This can be found on WebMD, in books published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and my mom can vouch for it. :)

Okay, I know that all of us on here are women, and while I don't know all of you, I'm guessing many (if not most) are also mothers. Have you ever breastfed? Have you ever been engorged? Did you know that applying cabbage leaves to your breast can help ease the pain of engorgement? It's true.

Green cabbage is generally recommended over red, but that's just to prevent staining. If you leave it on too long, your milk supply can go away completely (which is okay if you're weaning, but not if you're just trying to relieve pain that comes in the first few weeks).

I haven't used this remedy myself, but if you want to read more about it, click here: Cabbage Leaves and Engorgement

Ginger-Garlic Chicken Stir Fry with Soy-Sesame Noodles

I was shocked--shocked, I tell you--at how yummy this turned out. I got this from rachaelrayshow.com since I didn't want to make a traditional-ish St. Paddy's Day corn-beef-and-cabbage deal since it's really not my kind of meal. Anyway, this is something I will make again for sure.

Ginger-Garlic Chicken Stir Fry with Soy-Sesame Noodles


Salt
1 pound spaghetti
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (eyeball it)
3/4 pound chicken cutlets, cut into very thin strips
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I shredded it)
2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
A couple generous handfuls of shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 small head or 1/2 large head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper (1/3 palmful)
1/3 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Preparation
1. Bring water to a boil and salt it. Cook the spaghetti to al dente. (I used whole-wheat spaghetti which added a sort-of earthy flavor that really complimtented the sauce in this dish)

2. While the pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil over high heat until the oil ripples. Add the chicken and stir fry until golden, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, scallions and cabbage and stir fry for 2-3 minutes more. Season the stir fry with salt and lots of black pepper and turn off heat. (It took my chicken pieces a good 5 minutes to cook; I suppose you could cut back on the garlic since 6 cloves seems like a lot, but I am a raging garlicphile and...ahem...used nearly the entire amount though I cut the rest of the recipe in half; I used two kinds of mushrooms--shiitake and your run of the mill white buttons because I had some in my crisper about to go bad)

3. Place the Tamari (eyeball it) and sesame oil in a bowl and add the hot pasta to the dish. Toss to coat, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place pasta in shallow bowl and top with stir fry. (I forgot to grab Tamari at the store, so I used regular low-sodium soy sauce; the sesame seeds really add to the flavor, I liked that part a lot)

I guess the only thing about this recipe I'd change (besides the type of noodle used) is the ginger. I think a little bit goes a looong way, so I probably should have started out on the sparse side instead of diving right in with the whole amount. It was too overpowering for my taste--not enough to ruin the dish, but enough to make me notice the flavor a little too much with every bite. Overall, this was a hit for me. My rating would be a 5 because the presentation is BEAUTIFUL as well as tasty. I think I'd wow some people at a dinner party with this one.

Oh, and I ate it before thinking of taking a pic. Oops.

P.S. Will someone tell me how to do the "cut" thing so I can post a link to the sites from now on? I am not so computer savy!

Challenge Ingredient: Cabbage

Happy St. Paddy's Day!!

Cabbage has been a main staple in the Irish diet for centuries. It is popular because it flourishes in the cool Irish climate, and is hearty enough to be stored through the winter. It was also popular because things like wheat, livestock and oats were too valuable as income to the poor rural farmers, so they turned to cabbage for their personal use. Cabbage is often used in soups with onions and leeks. One more interesting tidbit...the famous corned beef and cabbage was actually an American-Irish invention. (Information gleaned from Suite101.com)

In honor of St. Patrick's Day I thought it would be fun to try our hand at making a cabbage dish. I personally have no idea what to do with cabbage. But, I do know that a) it's relatively cheap, b) cheap food is good, especially nowadays and c) it's crazy healthy for you. To find out more about how healthy this green head of goodness is, follow this link.

For these three reasons, I hope we can come up with some great cabbage recipes with this challenge. Let's get cookin'!!

PS- Bonappetit.com has a great article about how to buy and use cabbage here.