It's About Thyme!

I'm doing it... and those who know me are probably saying, "It's about thyme!"  I have been encouraged to write down the way I cook, feed my family and friends and turn old memories into new dishes in my kitchen... Challenge accepted!

I am a working mom of two very active, young boys, and really don't have time to "plan" my meals ahead of time. I hope you visit often and get to know me and my food!

First up, I got some beautiful Napa cabbage in our CSA box yesterday... I made a dinner that was inspired by delicious cabbage rolls of my youth!  Enjoy!

Romy

Cabbage Roll Pie

1 head Napa cabbage- 25- 30 large leaves, cored, ribs removed and blanched

1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage

1 medium onion- chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

5 cups tomato sauce- homemade ( jarred if you prefer)

2 cups quinoa

3 cups low sodium chicken stock

4 TBS olive oil

2 eggs

½ cup low fat cottage cheese

2 ½  cup low fat mozzarella cheese

2 TBS seasoned bread crumbs

1 TBS oregano

salt and pepper to taste

• preheat oven to 400 degrees
• fill large pot with water for blanching cabbage - heat on high heat and bring to rolling boil- salt
• heat 1 TBS of Olive Oil in large skillet on medium heat
• add chopped onion and saute for 3-5 mins. until translucent
• add Italian sausage, break it up into smaller pieces and brown for 10 mins.
• add garlic- saute with meat and onion for a 2-3 minutes. * Make sure you do not add it too early; adding it to early can cause the garlic to burn and get bitter*
• While you are browning the meat, heat chicken stock, 1 TBS olive oil, pinch of salt and quinoa in a sauce pan.  Bring to boil, cover, reduce to simmer and simmer for 10 mins. or until al dente ( it will finish cooking in the oven)
• Drain meat mixture and add to mixing bowl
• add quinoa- cool entire mixture for 10 mins
• add eggs ( if you add them to hot mixture you risk scrambling them... yikes!)
• add cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
• mix and set aside
• Next, blanch cabbage for 2 mins in boiling salted water, drain on kitchen towel
• In a 12x9 lasagna pan add 1 cup tomato sauce
• layer ½ of the blanched cabbage leaves to cover the bottom of the dish
• layer all of the meat and quinoa filling next
• spread 1 ½ cup tomato sauce then sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella cheese
• layer the remaining cabbage to cover
• top with the remaining sauce, then cheese
• mix remaining olive oil and bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese together and sprinkle over top
• bake for 45 mins
• cool for 20 mins
• serve and enjoy :)

will make 8- 10 servings