The Accidental Chef: "Not So Stuffed" Cabbage

Mmm ... Cabbage. O.k., so I am aware that not everyone shares my enthusiasm, but who am I to judge.

One of my favorite fast and healthy recipes is Stuffed Cabbage though my patience for a 12-step program when it comes to making dinner is not usually something I am willing to undertalke when I am in the mood for a favorite dish. So sometimes, I make a shortcut, and that is how "Not So Stuffed Cabbage" came to be.

So this is what I did ...

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef or turkey (or 12-15 meatballs)
• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 medium onion
• 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 (10 oz can) tomatoes
• 2 (15 oz cans) tomato sauce 

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef/turkey. Add onion and chopped garlic and cook together, then set aside.

2. Cut cabbage into 1-inch squares and saute (or steam) until desired softness. 

3. Add the meat mixture to the cabbage. The add tomatoes and tomato sauce.

*** Note: You can also add 2 cups of cooked rice, though we only eat rice occasionally.

4. Simmer for 10 minutes. Enjoy!!

Until our next cup of tea ... 

English Tea in the Heart of Cajun Country

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity as my little road trip buddy and I drove to Louisiana to spend a few days celebrating my niece's birthday, meeting the newest niece and nephew as well as catching up with my sisters and celebrating being moms.

One of the best activities was introducing my sisters and youngest nieces to the English Tea Room in Covington, LA. I'd never been before, but working at TEAinTEXAS has given me the opportunity to visit many tea rooms, and I was excited to visit a new one and inviting my sisters was a bonus!

We were a little nervous because one of my sisters is in a wheelchair and some of the tearooms are not easy to get a wheelchair past tables and precarious shelves filled with teacups and glassware. The owner assured us that they would be able to accommodate us. Unfortunately, the say that we had reserved a table, it was storming severely and I was taking my sister, her wheelchair and her daughter. Luckily, when we arrived, the staff was waiting to assist us with umbrellas and someone to push my sister's chair to a private tearoom in the converted carriage house with an Alice in Wonderland theme.

 

The tea itself was outstanding, one of the best I've ever had. We each had the Petite Windsor High Tea which included a pot of tea of your choice, assortment of finger sandwiches and mini quiches in phyllo shells, a mini cake bite, chocolate-dipped strawberry and a freshly baked scone served with clotted cream, lemon curd and preserves. (My favorite was the mini quiches and really anything lemon!!)

Of course, each of us got a different pot of tea:

Stephanie: Chocolate Chai Tea and Mother's Bouquet

Rita:

Christie: Strawberry Shortcake

Me: Vanilla Chai Tea

It was truly a great gathering, something Army life has limited with the various moves and distances it has kept us from our families. But I think it also makes moments like this more special, because they are so few.

Whether you eat in the main tearoom or host a special event, the English Tea Room will definitely be a place to make memories.

Until our next cup of tea,

My (Not so Secret) Love Affair

It's time to own up to it and stop hiding. Some may think I should feel guilty, others say I should break it off, still others say they are having the same affair, others claim they can't live without it. My parents find it gross, yet my grandparents advocate it. All I know is every morning I am awakened by the sounds of a baby's cries and immediately wish for him.

Every morning I stumbling down the stairs with a squirming baby on my hip, mumbling about rising before Soldiers going to PT being a crime. I plop the baby's wiggly butt into his activity center and set him up with pacifier and toys, anticipating turning "him" on. Sometimes I wish I'd prepped a little the night before, other times I stand there using those few extra moments to fully wake.

I've been doing this since the baby was born, six-months, though its not the first time. I saw my grandparent's ritual as a child, and then I started on my own in college. Now I may do it 3 or 4 times a day.

He's not as big as most, no anywhere near as exotic. I'm a simple girl, I don't need flashy, as long as it gets the job done. Maybe I should upgrade, bu I'm content.

I can hear the baby start to fuss in the next room not wanting to be alone, yet I can't leave before its finished. Then its done, the greatest moment of the day, everything else is cleared from my mind ... the moment of truth ... the coffee is finished brewing.

Ah, Dear Sweet 4-cup coffee maker! You may only be 12-inches tall and have one switch, but I love you as if you were 20-feet tall with enough buttons to light the city sky. When we get together I know that everything will be o.k. You perk me up. Your warmth flows through me like a silk blanket.

We love the same things ... a dark, fine grind ... Community Coffee or nothing! I am terrified of the day you will quit on me, fearful of having to replace you and learning to push the right bottons on another. We've been together through 1 pregnancy, 2 deployments, 3 moves and 4 vehicles. I can't imagine my life without you, yet I know when it happens, life will gone on. A little sadder yes, but I will still have the memories ... and definitely the Community Coffee.

There have been some rough times. Last month we ran out of coffee 2 days before the new Community Coffee shipment arrived, and I must admit, I didn't know if we'd make it. I know you hate being cleaned with vinegar, bitter and tart, but it makes you preform as if I'd just taken you out of the box. Then there are days that I can feel your empty pot drilling holes in my back as I chose Community Coffee's cappacino's mix, but the French Vanilla is just so good, and quite frankly I think a day apart once a week only draws us closer.

I know you'd love to spend your free time with a Community Coffee canister like my grandparents had when I was little, and I think you'd make a great pair, but baby formula costs money, so you'll have to wait until I can save my pennies. Don't worry, it'll be worth it when it arrives, but until then, I'm here.

I can promise you this, Dear Coffee Pot, I will always treasure your contributions to this family, I will always greet you first thing in the morning, I will only give you Community Coffee (only the best for you, of course!). I will alway love you dear friend. Without you I would be alive, but I probably wouldn't be awake!

What a week!!

What an exhausting, yet exhilarating week. I started my new job on Monday and I must say that it is one of the best decisions made in the recent months. Don't get me wrong, I liked working at the newspapers, but I get to interact with so many, and I feel like I am doing something that will help others.

This week I actually spent a lot of time playing catch up. I met so many people that my head is spinning. I am trying to get my office, or at least desk area organized. As I recently posted, I am "freakishly" organized and the battalion command team is quite impressed. In fact, the commander said that if I get too bored I am more than welcome to help the XO turn his "room" into and "office."

At first the command sergeant major scared me a little, but something I did in the last week made me worthy of more than mere grunts in response to my greeting, and I've been told that is rare. He appears to be one of those gruff, no nonsense kinds of Soldiers that thinks we are too soft in today's generation, so I'm waiting for his "approval" to be "revoked."

I want to thank everyone for their attendance at my "tea parties." I had actually planned to write a post a day last week, but I lost Internet one day and yesterday I was sooo tired when I got home, I vegged out on the sofa until my husband dragged me off to bed at 10 p.m. I plan to stop by all of your "tea parties" and see if there are any "leftovers."

Today George and I went to Lake Charles and got a fondue set. We were quite excited, so once we stopped by the store to pick up chocolate and fruit, washed all of the lovebugs off of my truck (wait until I post about that - grrr!) we headed home to test it out.

It was definately not the romantic interlude that we thought it was be, it was more trial and error as we tried to figure it out. But tonight, we'll "Google" it and try to find a good recipe sice we grocery shop on Sunday. We are definately doing chicken and steak, but I want to find a cool cheese dip to go with it versus just plain cheese. If you have any ideas, drop me a note. For now, I am going to rest. I am complete chocolate overload. I know Lime, I'm baffled too. I didn't know it was possible, but at least I had fruit with it ... that makes it healthy!

Until our next cup of tea ...