Barf Bake...aka. Turkey and Cabbage Bake

Ok, so I know "Barf Bake" is not the most appetizing name for a recipe, but this is what David   called it the first time I made it and the name stuck.  The reason he named it "Barf Bake" is not because it's gross, but because it is made with cabbage - something he didn't think he liked at the time.  Let's just say, David's palate has matured quite a bit since meeting me.  Anyway, this is a sort of casserole made from ground meat (I use turkey but you could use beef if you'd prefer), pasta, and cabbage.  It is like cabbage rolls, but in casserole form.  We happen to love it, and in fact, it is probably one of David's favorites, despite the fact that he calls it "Barf Bake."  If you are weary about the cabbage, sometimes if I don't have any cabbage I just use spinach instead and that is quite yummy as well.  We have been getting A TON of cabbage from Abbe Hills lately, so this recipe has worked itself into my menu a few times in the last couple of weeks.

Barf Bake

• 1 small head cabbage chopped (I use green cabbage but I am sure any variety would work just fine.
• 1 lb ground turkey (or beef if you would prefer)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup small pasta like orzo, dilatini, or ancini de pepe
• 2 cups tomato pasta sauce (I used Newman's Own last night but if I have my own I use that)
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb baby spinach
• 1 tbsp. italian herbs
• 1 tbsp. granulated garlic (or 4 cloves minced garlic)
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup good parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 13X9 inch baking dish generously with cooking spray.  Layer the cabbage and spinach along the bottom of the baking dish.  Set aside.  In a large skillet with deep sides, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and green pepper and saute until starting to sweat.  Add the turkey, the garlic, and the italian herbs and cook until turkey is browned.  Add the pasta and stir just to combine.  Pour this mixture over the cabbage and spinach.  In a small bowl, mix together pasta sauce and water.  Pour over the meat and move the meat and cabbage around with a spoon just enough to allow the sauce to seep through to the bottom.  Top with the cheese.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the cabbage is cooked and the pasta is tender.  Uncover during the last 15 minutes of baking to allow the cheese to brown slightly.  Serve. It's yummy, I promise!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Ooh...Sockeye!

I am really excited tonight because I FINALLY managed to find some quality Sockeye here in the Midwest.  I think Sockeye is one of the things I  miss most about Northwest summers.  Salmon is so important in the Northwest that the Sockeye season commences every year with a Salmon Days festival.  Oh how I miss Sockeye.  Oh how I miss eating salmon that is red and not light pink or white.  Oh how I miss walking outside and peering down into a creek and seeing hundreds of thousands of salmon spawning.  Oh how I miss salmon.  But I digress, I was at Sam's Club of all places and they had a special fish guy there (who knew!) who told me that the Sockeye was shipped fresh every Friday from Seattle.  Oh how excited that made me!  Even more exciting was that this past weekend it was only $8.99 a pound!  Oh yes, I had to buy some.  I was a little skeptical, especially after my Sockeye incident from last week, but it didn't have any odor and it seemed fresh, so that was encouraging.  So tonight I prepared the Sockeye, and oh boy was it yummy!  I have to tell you, I am a salmon snob, and even though it wasn't as good as if I had purchased it at Pike Place in downtown Seattle, it was still very worth it! Back home there are two ways I would prepare the Sockeye, the first is with lemon juice, rock salt, and brown sugar.  Marinate that overnight, remove the rock salt, and grill (this is the best way).  The second way would be very simply with lemon juice, garlic and dill, and the Cedar Plank it on the grill.  Tonight, I made a soy ginger glaze and I served this up with a nice rice pilaf and some broccoli that came from Abbe Hills Farm.  What a beautiful summer meal!


Tonight's Sockeye with a Soy Ginger Glaze

 

This is the color salmon should be!  RED!  BEAUTIFUL!

• 1-2 lbs fresh Sockeye fillets
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, micro-planed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or Tamari
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/8 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 stick of butter, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with cooking spray.  Place the salmon on the foil.  In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together and pour over the salmon.  Place butter cubes over the top of the salmon.  Fold the foil into a little packet to tent the salmon.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the salmon flakes when a fork is inserted into the middle.  Enjoy!

The leftover fish is quite delicious served cold the next day on a salad, with crackers, or just by itself!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

The Famous Cabbage Chicken Salad

Happy 4th of July to all my American readers out there!  To celebrate, I bring you the absolute most delicious salad in the entire universe!  For as long as I can remember, this salad has been made in my family.  In fact, I don't remember a summer where this wasn't made at least 10 times.  I am sure there are many variations on it out there, but I am not sure where the recipe originated.  This was my father's favorite summer salad, and when I first made it for my husband seven years ago, he was skeptical.  You have to understand that when I met David, he was somewhat of a picky eater.  He pretty much lived on fast food and anything he could dump out of a box before he met me.  Oh how that has changed!  Anyway, he was skeptical, "cabbage? Yuck!"  It didn't take much after he tried it though for the Cabbage Chicken Salad to become his summer favorite as well!  This recipe makes A TON of salad, but trust me it won't last long.  Also this is one that tastes even better the next day, and by day three it is the best it could ever be!  Plus, this recipe is super easy, so that is a bonus!  We call this The Famous Cabbage Chicken Salad in our family because whenever it is made, it disappears, and people always request it for picnics, potlucks, and such.


The Famous Cabbage Chicken Salad

• 1 large or 2 small heads green cabbage, washed and chopped
• 2 packages crunchy Chinese noodles broken up(like Top Ramen, however I do not use Top Ramen because of all the horrible ingredients from which it is made.  I have found another brand, although I cannot recall it off the top of my head that has only three ingredients.  You can use Ramen, that is what was always used when I was a kid.  Just look around the Ramen noodles, there are other choices and pick what you like).  Discard the seasoning packet.
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 3 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil or vegetable oil)
• 2 tbsp. hot and sweet mustard
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Place chicken in a large saucepan and fill with water or chicken stock just to cover the chicken.  Poach the chicken for about 15-20 minutes over medium heat until it is cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and chop or shred.  Place in the refrigerator to cool.  Heat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.  Spread out the noodles, the almonds, and the sesame seeds.  Cook in the oven for about 5 minutes or until browned and toasted.  Remove from oven and let stand to cool.  Place the cabbage in a VERY LARGE bowl (I am not kidding, VERY LARGE).  Add the cooled chicken and crunchies to the cabbage.  In a smaller bowl, mix together the vinegars, the mustard and the sugar, whisk vigorously while streaming in the oils.  Pour over the salad and mix well until combined.  This is SOOOOO good.  If desired, serve with hot and crusty bread.  Yummmy!

And just because he is so darned cute, here is a picture of my little man getting ready to go on a bike ride!