Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls

I stumbled upon this make it up as I go along recipe when I realized I had some cabbage left in the fridge. I wanted to make cabbage rolls (what you've never had one?! shame shame) but after a sleepless night I didn't want to do a lot of cooking. So this easy recipe, and I mean easy, was born. This has all the flavours of a cabbage roll but with a lot less work.

1 cabbage head, diced (use a food processor if you got one, saves a lot of time)
1 - ½ lbs of lean or low fat content hamburger (if frozen make sure defrosted)
1 large can of diced tomatoes with juice
Seasonings, whatever you like: garlic, pepper, salt, etc.

Place diced cabbage in your crockpot.
Crumble hamburger on top of cabbage. Yes raw, trust me.
Add seasonings.
Dump in tomatoes.
Place lid on and cook on low for 8-10hrs.
It's ok to stir occasionally.

The fat from the hamburger along with the tomatoes helps soften the cabbage to make it melt in your mouth.

Once done you can serve over rice, mashed potatoes or eat by itself.

Enjoy!

No Yeast Bread / Pizza Dough

Yup no yeast bread. I know when you think of bread you think yeast, but don’t worry this one is really good. We used it as pizza dough, it was about the size of a regular cookie sheet. 

Preheat oven to 400F
4 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp baking soda
1½ cups water
2 tsp vinegar (cider or white)

Combine all dry ingredients together.
Combine all wet ingredients together
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix
Turn dough onto floured surface and need, about two to three minutes, add more flour if needed

If making bread shape into a round (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches high). Bake 40 minutes. Remove and while hot glaze with 1 tbsp melted or softened butter.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Tis the season to roast pumpkin seeds!

I love freshly out of the oven roasted pumpkin seeds lightly salted, crunchy little snack that is high in fiber so its good to eat them by the handfuls haha.

Step 1:
Gut your pumpkin, go ahead get messy. Place the seeds separated from the “guts” in a large bowl.

Step 2:
Soak / wash the seeds (no soap please) and try to get the cling on guts off

Step 3:
Rinse the seeds and let them dry out. Most sites say at least 30mins but I let them dry for longer.

Step 4:
Place them in a bowl with some melted butter (or oil) to lightly coat, sprinkle with salt or whatever seasonings you’d like

Step 5:
Place in oven as it preheats to 275F.

Step 6:
Check your pumpkin seeds every 5-ish minutes. I cook large batches (seeds from 3 pumpkins so I check every 15mins). Stir occasionally and do a taste test to see if they are cooked enough for you liking.

Step 7:
Once roasted, they will change colour, remove them from the oven and sample some. Eat warm or cold, either way its all good :0)

Bierocks!!

Bierocks! What could be better than a roll with a meaty, oniony, cabbagey filling? Nothing. Best part is you can freeze it and gobble them down for a quick on the go lunch or for those days you just don’t feel like cooking. If you have German or Russian roots and haven’t tried this shame on you :P
On the serious side this meal is pretty dang cheap, most expensive ingredient is the ground beef, but if you time it right you can hit a sale. A little time consuming but well worth it in the end when you have a freezer full off good homemade food for your family.

DOUGH

Ingredients:
1pkg active dry yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp)
1 cup lukewarm water (around 110F)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp margarine
3 cups flour (you can use whole wheat too)

Method:
In a large bowl dissolve yeast in water with a dash of the sugar, for about 3-5 mins
Stir in sugar, salt, margarine, and enough flour until dough comes together in a ball
Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 6mins)
Cover dough for 30mins
Punch down dough
Cover for 10mins

FILLING

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
½ cup finely diced onion
Black pepper
Salt

Method:
Brown beef, drain
Add cabbage, onion and seasonings
Cook on low till vegetables are tender

THE FUN PART!

Roll out dough on lightly floured counter, cut into 6 pieces
Place about ½ cup filling in center
Pull outside edges of dough to center and pinch closed
Turn seam side down on baking sheet (greased, or lined)
Bake for 15-18mins in 400F oven

WHAT WE DID!

-Filling: We used about 3½ lbs meat, 1 onion on steroids, and one medium head of cabbage
Shredded cabbage in food processor and put it in the crock pot with around 4-ish cups of water, turned it on low and cooked over night (added some black pepper and a pinch of garlic for good measure)
Diced onion with food processor, like I said it was on ‘roids and would have destroyed my eyeballs
Cooked up the meat w/ onion and lots of black pepper and I used celery salt (because I could)
Let meat mixture cool and put in the fridge over night

-Bread: We used the food processor to make it, yup that’s right gotta love having a food processor. How did I survive without one… Anyways we did the yeast, water and dash of sugar in a measuring cup. Margarine, salt, sugar in food processor, added yeast, added flour and hit the dough button (gift from God!). Covered, punched, covered and put in fridge over night. We made 2 batches

-Morning: turn off cabbage, let cool down, add meat mixture to cabbage + let them get to know each other, stir very well. Dough out of the fridge, oven preheating. We aren’t fans of rolling out dough so we just grabbed 6 chunks out of a batch, hand flattened, filled and baked for 16mins. Let the house smell good and taste one once it cools down.

- With using one head of cabbage we made 4 batches of dough and have 2 medium containers of meat + cabbage mixture in the fridge. Needless to say we will be making more dough tomorrow, maybe another 2 or 3 batches.. Ooh yah!


Works best to bake, cool completely and freeze in airtight container.

Quick Yeasty Rolls

These are delicious, super easy to make and better than a lot of rolls purchased at stores.

3 TBSP margarine or butter
3 TBSP sugar
1 C hot water
1 PKG or 2 1/4 TSP active dry yeast
1 egg, beaten
1 TSP salt
2 1/4 C flour

Grease 8 - 12 muffin cups (I always make 12 they will be the size of a cupcake, give or take)
In a large bowl mix margarine (or butter), sugar and hot water
Allow to cool to around 100-110F and mix in yeast till dissolved
Mix in beaten egg, salt and flour (I usually add some spices or cheese during this step)
Divide dough into muffin cups and let rise till they are double the size (about a half hour or less)
Preheat oven to 425F
Bake for about 10mins

Crab Casserole

I love imitation crab, why? Its easy to find and so much cheaper (for my location) than fresh crab. If you west / east coasters want to use fresh crab have at it. Savor a bite of it for me!

Seriously this is good, every time I make it I end up eating way too much of it. Yes its that good!!

8oz pasta, cooked (I use spiral but use what you like, be creative)
2 cans cream of mushroom (or celery) soup (homemade works wonders)
1 1/2 cups milk
5 tbsp butter
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 lb imitation crab meat

Whisk together soup, milk and butter
Add green pepper, pasta, crab, parmesan, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Place in 9x13 casserole dish, lightly greased if you'd like
Top with remanding cheddar cheese
Bake at 350 for 20mins

Fee free to play around with this recipe, it is rather good. Add more veggies like celery, coloured peppers, broccoli, onions, saute them to bring out a new range of flavours. Use your family favourite seasonings.

This can be frozen! Instead of baking put it in the freezer for up to one month.
Reheating: Defrost in fridge up to 24 hours, remove 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, or until heated through.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cimmamon Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Icing

This cake is amazing, think of pumpkin pie in cake form. Very moist, a great way to end any Autumn meal. Benny (3yrs) and Addie (1yr) say it makes a great breakfast and this is the only way they willingly have eaten pumpkin.

CAKE:

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin, homemade pumpkin puree works great too
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup buttermilk  (to make buttermilk add 1tbsp white vinegar or 1tbsp lemon juice to your measuring cup and fill with milk to the 1cup line. let sit for 5mins and like magic you have buttermilk)
*You can add more or less of the spices depending on your preferences, I tend to always add more than the recipe calls for

Method:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. Combine the flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and ginger; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
FOR CUPCAKES (makes 24)
Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
FOR 9x13 CAKE
Grease and flour pan (whatever method you like), pour batter and place in oven. Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes. Yes a big gap of time because depending on your oven times will vary. It took my cake 55 minutes to bake.

FROSTING:

Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
*I also put in 2 teaspoons nutmeg for good measure

Method:
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes or cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Crockpot Lasagna

This is so good you'll want to climb into it! It's super easy only set back is cleaning out the crockpot after, but hey it helps burn those calories. If you don't want to scrub it clean try those handy crockpot liners.

I usually double this recipe since its so good and leftovers are great for lunches or  easy dinner.
This will feed 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
Ground beef, as much or little as you like (optional)
28oz of spaghetti sauce (homemade or canned)
6oz tomato paste
12oz ricotta or cottage cheese
1/2C grated parmesan or asiago cheese
12oz lasagna noodles
16oz grated mozzarella cheese

Method:
- brown beef (drain if necessary), add tomato sauce, paste and season to your liking
-if using a crockpot liner now is the time to put it in your crockpot
-spoon layer of sauce onto the bottom of the crockpot
-add double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles top with cheese
-add some sauce, than cheese and noodles repeat till all ingredients are used
-cover and cook on high 4-5hrs or on low 8-10hrs

Zucchini Casserole

This recipe will feed an army of hungry people! This will feed 12+ people, easy to reduce the ingredients or you can have a lot of leftovers ;)

1 1/2 TBSP margarine or butter, unsalted
1-2 large red onion, chopped
1 1/2  C celery, chopped
3 LBS medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1  TSP salt
1  TSP ground thyme
1/4 TSP hot red pepper flakes
3/4 TSP pepper
3 TBSP cornstarch   
3/4 C fat free half and half
3/4 C reduced fat sour cream
1/2 C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
3/4 C bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the margarine. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Cook until the zucchini is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the half and half. Pour over the zucchini and cook, stirring, until thickened and coating the vegetables, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and about 3 tablespoons of the cheese. Scrape into large baking dish. Mix together the bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the top is lightly browned, about 1 minute

Meatballs & Tomato Sauce

This is a recipe that a fellow foodie shared with me, and can be found on the Jamie Oliver website. I love meatballs but hate making them, some recipes are overly complicated this one isn’t!! Even though it is simple it has great flavours and bakes wonderfully in the oven. I hope you enjoy them!!

Meatballs:
ground beef (enough to make the right number of meatballs for your household)
1/2 onion chopped fine
handful of breadcrumbs
1 egg
tsp of chilli powder
Basil, dried or chopped
salt/pepper to taste
olive oil for pan (if frying)

Mix all ingredients with hands then shape into meatballs. Made mine so they’d fit in the palm of my hand, maybe around ping-pong ball size.
Fry in a non-stick pan with a little oil, make sure oil is hot so the oil doesn‘t saturate the meatballs.
Or place on baking sheets (you can line them with parchment paper) and bake for about 30mins in a 350F oven. Please note baking time is determined on the size of your meatballs

Sauce:

796ml can of diced tomatoes mostly drained (about 3.4C or 27oz) or homemade
1/2 onion chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic chopped fine (I used garlic press)
tsp of chili powder
1 bay leaf
3 cm of cinnamon stick (or 1tsp cinnamon)
2 tsp all spice
olive oil for pan
salt/pepper to taste
200g of hard salty cheese for grating: asiago or parmesan (about 1C)

Heat oil, add onion and cook gently for 5 mins.
Add spices and garlic, cook together another 2-3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Increase heat so it starts boiling.
As soon as it does add cooked meatballs and grind in half the cheese.
Simmer slowly for a good 5 mins.
Serve over rice and top with remaining cheese

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

This is delicious, seriously sometimes I just let my bananas go ripe so I can make it.

4 TBSP butter or margarine
¾ C sugar
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
2 C flour (if using wheat it will be a tad denser)
2 TSP baking powder
½ TSP salt
¼ TSP baking soda
1 C chocolate chips
2 large bananas, ripe
1 loaf pan

Preheat oven to 350F and grease loaf pan
Cream sugar, butter and eggs
Fold in bananas
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda
Add banana mixture and chocolate chips to dry mixture
Pour into greased bread pan
Bake for about 55mins

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe was given to me in a beautiful recipe box (to this day I still use) as a wedding gift. You can also play around with this recipe by adding raisins, other dried fruit or even coconut. If you like chewy cookies, cook it for 8mins, like a bit of crunch bake for 11mins. Not sure what you’d like, play around with the baking time after all this recipe makes 4 - 5 dozen cookies!!

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix together:
3 C flour
1 C sugar, white
1 C brown sugar
½ TSP salt
1 TSP baking powder
1 TSP baking soda
1 C margarine

Stir in:
3 eggs
½ TSP vanilla
1 ½ C quick rolled oats
¼ C fine coconut (optional)
2/3 C chocolate chips OR
½ C Raisins

Roll teaspoon size balls on ungreased pan
Bake for 8 -11 mins in your preheated oven (350F)
Loosen from pan while still hot

Brown Sugar Pie!

Brown Sugar Pie or “Tarte au Sucre Brun” is a deliciously sweet pie, so this one is for you sugar lovers!!
This pie originates from Quebec (that’s in Canada my American friends) and was one of the Canadian treats I made for the Manter United Methodist Women's Annual Bazaar!

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked pie shell (store bought or homemade)

Preheat oven to 400F
In a saucepan, combine flour and sugar
Stir in milk, butter, salt and vanilla
Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil
Pour into an unbaked pie shell
Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes
Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 25 minutes

Remember to brush, and floss your teeth before going to bed, I will not be held accountable for anyones cavities ;o)

Plum Crisp

Plum Crisp? Yup! If you love plums or are a fan of apple crisp this is for you!!

Now, I didn't really use a recipe or measure much, but isn't that what makes baking fun!!

I will do my best to gage what I did. If you have a favourite apple crisp recipe let that be your guide.


Preheat Oven 350
8x8 glass baking dish, do not grease

About 2 cups of diced plumbs
About 2 tbs sugar
About 1 tbs cornstarch
About 1-2 tsp vanilla
About 1-2 tsp cinnamon
Mix all together + place in baking dish

Topping:
About 1/2 c quick cooking oats
About 1/2 c brown sugar
About 1/2 c oat bran
Small dash of salt
1-2 tsp cinnamon
About 1/4 c melted butter

Combine all in small bowl, mix till crumbly + put on top of plum mix (easier to do with your hands)
Bake 40 - 45 mins till bubbly + top is golden

Chicken in a Pot!

I am posting this fancy (sarcasm) recipe for my wonderful sister Bailey who likes to get her cook on!

On a Mom note my picky eaters will eat this and trust me there is a way to healthy this recipe up, in a sneaky way of course.

1 large pot
6-8 chicken legs with thigh attached, I remove the skin but you don’t have to ( I have used chicken drumsticks)
1 (16oz) bottle of ketchup
1 (12oz) can of coke (we use Dr. Pepper, or any dark cola, I’ve even made it with rootbeer before)
½ C butter / margarine (can get away with a ¼C and nobody will know but you)

Put all ingredients in the pot on the stove
Cover and cook on medium heat for 30mins or till chicken is done

This goes great with mashed potatoes (or healthier option mashed cauliflower) or on rice.
I recommend while your chicken is cooking away you get your rice or potatoes going too, could go with french fries for a fast easy peasy kind of meal (sweet potato fries are my favourite).

Where’s the healthy? Here it is!

The sauce, the sauce covers all mwah ha haa!! Why the evil laugh? I am a mother of two adorable toddlers, one who loves vegetables and the other who will gag at the sight of them. Every once and awhile you have to get creative and sneaky ;)

Once chicken is done, remove from the sauce or remove some sauce from the pot. Now you could thicken it up with the flour and butter method, the cornstarch and water or the pureed vegetables way. That’s right to get those kids (or picky husband, wife, neighbour…) a big dose of veggie goodness with them knowing it.

Plate your meal with some chicken, your potato / fries or rice, and a nice dollop of sauce and you’re good to go.

Crockpot Potato Soup

I love soup, seriously I love it we are eating it in 95F weather! I could eat soup everyday, no lie. Could be that I grew up in a rainy area, could be the comforting warm feeling when you eat soup, or a combination of both. This potato soup I found online and altered it. I encourage you all to have fun with it and put your own mark on it.

6 large potatoes diced (you can peel but I didn't)
2 diced medium onion (can add more or less)
16oz frozen corn
Chopped celery (3 stalks, but can add more, less or leave out)
5 C chicken or vegetable stock (if you don't have stock on hand add 5 chicken bouillon cubes to 5C water)
1 (12oz) evaporated milk (you could use whole milk if needed)
1 TBSP parsley flakes
1 TBSP salt
Pepper (I added lots, I love pepper)
Garlic (as much or little as you like it)
1/2 C butter
1/2 C flour
*Feel free to add other vegetables that your family loves like carrots, cauliflower or broccoli

Add vegetables, stock, spices into crockpot.
Cut butter into pot (you can leave whole, it will melt)
Whisk in flour (trust me it won't be a lumpy mess)
Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours (I recommend 10hrs)
Stir twice throughout cooking process.

German Apple Pancakes

I don't even know how to describe these little pancake gems, they are marvelous and a kid favourite. Even my picky eater picks at them.

First remove your concept of pancakes, are they gone? Good!! These fluffy, cinnamony, apple goodness are more like upside down cupcakes. Not only do they come out in single serving size, they are pretty elegant looking too. Great for family brunches and holiday breakfasts. They also work wonders for dessert if you like to do breakfast for dinner.

The recipe makes six servings, and it simple enough to double too!!

2 tbs butter
5 tbs sugar
2 apples, peeled,cored and diced
2/3 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs lemon juice (or apple juice or vanilla works great too)
1/4 c brown sugar
3 lrg eggs
3/4 c milk
Muffin tin

Preheat oven to 450F
While oven preheats butter tin and add sugar to six of the twelve cups
Toss apples with brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, saute for about 15mins till tender
Let cool and divide in six muffin tin cups
Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs and milk for 3 mins
Pour batter over apples, reduce heat to 400F
Bake 15mins or until they puff up
Remove from tin right away and enjoy!!

Baked Chicken, Rice + Veggie

Want a great one dish meal that is super easy to make? This is the one for you!!
Even my picky 3yr old loves this, well sometimes ;o)

Feeds a family of four!

9x13 baking dish
1 small (10.5 - 10.75oz) can of cream of soup (I use sodium free cream of celery)
1 1/3 C water
3/4 C rice (anything but instant, I use basmati)
2 C chopped veggies, I use frozen broccoli
4 chicken thighs with or without skin (I always remove the skin)
Sprinkling of cheese, whatever your family loves
Spices (I just use some pepper)

Preheat oven to 375
In baking dish empty soup can, spices and whisk with water
Add rice and mix well
Add veggies and mix well
Place chicken thighs
Sprinkle with cheese
Bake for 45mins or till chicken and rice is done

If chicken thighs aren't your thing you can sub. with chicken breasts or legs, turkey or even tofu cubes.

Hope you enjoy!!

Bean Pie

This is a family favourite here, its easy and very filling especially if you add a side salad or taco chips with fresh salsa.

10 tortillas / soft tacos (we use whole wheat)
1 31oz can fat free refried beans (homemade works great too)
24oz salsa, whatever heat suits your family (again homemade is good too)
4C shredded cheese
1lb beef, cooked and drained (optional)
 9x13 pan

Layer ingredients in pan in given above order, repeat ending with tortillas.
I add a little sprinkle of cheese to the top layer.
Bake at 350 for about 30mins

I would let cool for 10mins before slicing, add some sour cream and its good to go!!

Why Nom Nom Warrior?

Why Nom Nom Warrior?

Why not! I love recipes, sharing and trying new ones. From baking to cooking, not big into bbq (too messy for me).  From complex exotic to easy crockpot and everything in between. I hope to share a few of my favourites and ones that have been shared with me.

Ok ok the name, why the name!! Its a take on a facebook group my friend started "Warriors of Nom" and well sometimes I let my OCD behaviour take over and volia Nom Nom Warrior has been started ;o)

I'll be honest sometimes I am post flakey, but being a mother of two adorable toddlers, starting preschool homeschooling, potty training, and so much more the kiddlets trump updating blog posts. Sorry, but I am sure all you parents and grandparents can understand.