Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Pigs in a Blanket)

On the way to my in-laws house several years ago, my husband mentioned his mother was fixing 'Pigs in a Blanket'. When we arrived, I was confused when I didn't see any hot dogs or breading anywhere on the table. Instead, his mother served what looked like rolls of cabbage leaves in a red tomato sauce. It was good and something I had never seen before. After we left I explained to him what MY 'Pigs in a Blanket' were: hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls with ketchup or mustard for dipping. He ended up finding (through Google, of course) that the Pennsylvania/Dutch version was what he grew up on- but most photos and recipes had come up as the hot dog snack I was used to.

I decided to search the web for what sounded the best to me for HIS kind of 'Pigs in a Blanket'. After coming across Melissa Norris' Cabbage Roll Recipe, I made some minor tweaking and ended up with something both my husband and I could agree was tasty. (And I even gave him my word I would include HIS name of the dish in my blog title. How sweet am I, right?)

I am sure you could bake these in the oven, but I always trust my crock pot to cook things tender and extra delicious.

12 leaves of Cabbage
1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 cup Jasmine rice, uncooked
1/4 cup Milk
1 Egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 (15oz) cans Tomato Sauce
4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

Boil cabbage head in large pot of water for a few minutes until leaves are soft enough to wrap. (I had to boil mine for about 5 minutes, peal off 5 leaves- and then return the head to boil another 5 minutes and peal off a few more)

In a medium bowl, mix ground beef, rice, milk, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Spoon beef mixture into cabbage leaves, tuck in the sides of the leaves and roll tight. Place in crock pot with the seam side down.

In separate bowl, combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well then pour over the cabbage rolls.

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.

Mexican Lasagna

This is full of layers and good flavors. It's a different way to enjoy Mexican.

1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb Chorizo, remove any casing
1 Green Pepper, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped (or 1 Tablespoon Dried Onion Flakes)
1 or 2 cans Black Beans, drained
2 cans Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilies, undrained
1 can Corn, drained
1 cup Salsa
1 package Taco Seasoning
2 cans Enchilada Sauce
1 package 10 inch Flour Tortillas
4 cups Mexican Shredded Cheese

Brown ground beef and chorizo together in a very large, deep sided skillet. Add green pepper and onion and cook about 5 minutes. Add black beans, tomatoes with chilies, corn, salsa and taco seasoning; bring to boil then reduce heat and cover, simmering for 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 casserole dish layer 1/3 of meat mixture, 3 tortillas, 1/3 of enchilada sauce and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with the cheese on the top of the lasagna. Bake for 30 minutes.

Ground Beef Enchiladas and Chicken Taquitos

When I announce we will be having this Mexican meal for dinner, my husband and son immediately celebrate with cheers and questions on when it will be ready soon follow.

Two recipes, one post.

Ground Beef Enchiladas

1 lb Ground Beef

1 Tablespoon Dried Onion Flakes

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

12 flour Tortillas, fajita size

1 large can Enchilada Sauce

2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Heat oven to 400°F. Brown ground beef with onion flakes and cumin until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in 3/4 cup enchilada sauce and 1 cup cheese. Spoon enchilada filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam-side down in lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes

------------------------------

Chicken Taquitos

Corn Tortillas

3 cups Chicken, cooked and shredded

3/4 cup salsa, green

1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese

1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil
Sour Cream

Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap tortillas in paper towel and heat in the microwave for about a minute. They need to be quite warm so they do not crack when you roll them. Meanwhile, place shredded chicken in a bowl; add cheese and 1/2 cup salsa. (reserve the rest for garnish). Mix ingredients thoroughly. Cover a baking pan with foil and spread canola (or vegetable) oil over it to evenly coat. Fill the tortillas with about 2 tablespoons of chicken in a thin row across the center of the tortilla. Take one side of the tortilla, fold it to the center, then roll the tortilla up tightly. Place them seam end down on the baking sheet about an inch apart. Lightly spray top of taquitos with cooking spray. Bake in bottom third of oven at 450 degrees for about 8 minutes. Turn taquitos over and cook for about 5 more minutes until crispy. Serve with salsa, guacamole and sour cream.