Stuffed Cabbage

This was a really good stuffing. I had tons left-over so I am planning to serve the stuffing as a side-dish sometime in the next few days.  Next time I will probably just make the stuffing and cut-up a little more cabbage than I used in this recipe. It would even make a great soup. Just add some chicken stock and you have a hearty soup w/o meat. Add some sausage, and you will please the meat eaters in your family.

printable recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/stuffed-cabbage
Ingredients:
1 medium head of cabbage- discard tough leaves and save 2 for a later use
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, finely chopped (I just used one red pepper)
2 medium onions, finely chopped (I just used one onion)
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup long-grain rice, cooked as directed on package
1 can (15-19 oz) white cannellini beans rinsed and drained
1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts-- sliced, drained, and finely chopped
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes
Directions
1. Remove 2 large cabbage leaves; set aside.  This is to cover the cabbage after you stuff it. Cut out core and center of cabbage, leaving a 1-inch shell. Discard core and dice 2 cups cabbage from center leaves.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers and half of onions; cook, stirring often. (8-10 minutes)
3. Add diced cabbage, rice vinegar, garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespon ginger; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in rice, beans, and water chestnuts.
4. Fill cabbage shell with vegetable mixture., packing mixture firmly but gently. Cover opening with reserved cabbage leaves, overlapping slightly; tie with string. In an 8 quart Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add remaining onions and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Add remaining 1 tablespoon ginger; cook 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes with their juice, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 cup water, breaking up tomatoes with back of a spoon. Place stuffed cabbage, core-end down, in tomato sauce and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hour, basting cabbage occasionally. To serve, place cabbage in deep platter; discard string. Spoon sauce around cabbage. Cut into wedges. Serve with French bread if desired.

Cloud Nine Stuffed Peppers

Another recipe from "The Recipe Club" by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel.  This time I think I have a winner.  At least the stuffing tastes great.
Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/ccloud-nine-stuffed-bell-peppers

Ingredients: Makes 4 stuffed peppers
2 Cups raw bulgur wheat
3 3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons salt, plus additional for sprinkling
4 green peppers
1/4 cup oil
1 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced carrots
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup finely diced green beans
Pinch cayenne
1 tomato, sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the bulgur with 3 3/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer, covered, until grains are tender and most of the water is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Drain any remaining water.
3. Meanwhile, with a knife, remove the tops from the pepper; finely chop and set aside. Discard the cores and seeds. Place the peppers in a steamer basket set over a pot of simmering water and cook, covered, until just tender. 5-7 minutes.
. Heat6 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrot, green onions, chopped green peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, green beans, 1/4 cup water, and cayenne. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
5. Combine the vegetables and the grains. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Divide the filling among the four peppers. Top each pepper with a tomato slice and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake 15 minutes.
Instead of using one pepper per person, I cut the pepper in half and stufed one pepper for Jud and me. I wanted to taste more of the filling than the pepper.  After trying it, Jud and I both decided that we would prefer to cut-up 1/2 bell pepper and add to the vegetables that you cook before adding the bulgur.  I really liked it though.