Tagged: salt

Homemade Chicken Stock

Purchasing chicken stock at the store is fine, it will get the job done. However, if you are looking to really take your dish to a whole other level, bursting with flavor, a dish that will make your guests (including your picky children) say “Wow! This is amazing!” I would highly recommend making your own chicken stock.

You may be thinking “Really?! It makes that big of a difference?!” Yes. Yes it does. Or maybe you’re thinking “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” (was that a bad reference?!) I would say make your homemade stock on a day when you have a little more time, if you will be using the stock within 24 hours simply place it in the fridge, any longer than that and you can easily store it in the freezer for future use (store it in smaller, pre-measured containers to make things even easier).

To begin you will need a couple of whole chicken bones (carcasses). An easy way to get the most for your money is to purchase and debone a whole chicken yourself. This post, Deboning A Whole Chicken, details the benefits of doing exactly that as well as a couple of links to videos showing you exactly how to debone a whole chicken. After deboning your whole chicken(s) place the bones to side to begin your stock (or if you want to break this up into multiple days, place the bones in a freezer bag and freeze for a later date).

Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Whole Chicken Carcasses (removed of any excess meat, as much as you can)
  • 3 Large Onions (quartered & unpeeled)
  • 5 Stalks of Celery (quartered)
  • 8 Carrots (quartered & unpeeled)
  • 1 Large Head of Garlic (or 2 small/medium heads) (unpeeled & cut in half across the middle of the head of garlic)
  • 1 Bunch of Fresh Parsley
  • 1 Package of Fresh Thyme (or about 20-25 sprigs)
  • 2 tbsp. Kosher Salt
  • 3 tbsp. Whole Black Peppercorns

Directions

Step One

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with cold, filtered water. Covering the ingredients by a couple of inches of water. (Add more water if needed during the cooking process to keep ingredients covered).

Step Two 

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to keep the stock at a simmer (uncovered) for 4-5 hours. Once time is up, strain the ingredients through a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth to remove any impurities/small ingredients.

Step Three

Let the stock cool then either store in the fridge for up to 24 hours or in the freezer as mentioned above.

My Tastee Tips

Using cold, filtered water will result in a clearer stock. You can also create or purchase a bouquet garni to place the peppercorns and fresh herbs in to help aid in a clearer stock as well (as long as you use a fine strainer or cheesecloth though you can skip this step, it’s up to you really). This is a link to purchase cheesecloth and bouquet garni bags (Bed Bath & Beyond also has these items for sale).

If you are looking to make a smaller or larger batch of homemade chicken stock (depending on the number of chicken bones/carcasses you have) simple divide this recipe by half or double it (just make sure you have a large stockpot).

Easy Coconut Macaroons

In the quest to satisfy a very large sweet tooth, I decided to see what type of goodie I could make with what I happened to have in my pantry. After discovering I had no baking soda (I know right, no baking soda?!) I had to change my plans from homemade heart warming cookies to something else. But what???

Upon looking thoroughly through my “baking section” in my pantry and not finding a whole lot, I was fearing the worst, nothing to satisfy my craving for something sweet. I gave my entire pantry and fridge one more glance and lo and behold, coconut flakes. It was so clear at that point, I would make coconut macaroons.

I have never made coconut macaroons before but I sure do enjoy eating them. After a bit of research I decided to combine a few recipes and tips for making coconut macaroons and came up with this recipe, which is so easy and so yummy.

Easy Coconut Macaroons Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 (14oz.) Package Sweetened Coconut Flakes
  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • 5 tbsp. Flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt (Kosher, preferably)
  • 4 Egg Whites (Large)
  • 1½ tsp. Vanilla Extract (the good stuff)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F

Step One

In a large bowl, combine the coconut flakes, sugar, flour and salt. Stir to thoroughly combine, set to the side.

Step Two

In a small to medium size bowl, add the egg whites and whisk with a fork until slightly frothy (about 2 minutes). Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step Three

Add the egg white mixture to the coconut flake mixture and stir until thoroughly combined and evenly coated. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step Four

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper (I used a silicone baking mat that I have for baking, these are great and fairly cheap. If you do not have one I would highly recommend you get one or two, you can find the exact ones I have here).

Take the coconut mixture out of the fridge and give it a stir just to loosen it up a bit. With a cookie dough scoop or spoon of some kind, begin to scoop the mixture onto the lined baking sheet (circles, domes, pyramids, choose your shape if you don’t have a cookie scoop). You don’t need a whole lot of space between them but I would recommend at least half an inch.

Step Five

Once you have the cookie sheet filled with your coconut macaroons (I had to do two batches, if you do too just place the coconut mixture back in the fridge until you are ready for it) place the coconut macaroons in the oven and bake for 23-27 minutes or until golden & gorgeous.

Remove the coconut macaroons from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes then move the macaroons to a cooling rack until completely cooled. Repeat step five with any remaining coconut mixture.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

If you are in a hurry you can skip the step where you place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. They will still be really good, I just found the texture and chewiness to be slightly more awesome after leaving the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes (this was by trial and error really, with the first batch I did not refrigerate the mixture but because I had to do two batches, I placed the mixture in the fridge while the first batch cooked, and like I said they came out slightly more awesome).

This recipes makes a lot of macaroons (depending on the size of your spoon or scoop I would say anywhere between 25-35 macaroons) so if don’t want so many tasty sweets lying around calling your name day and night saying “eat me, you know you want to!” then simply cut this recipe in half.

If you really want to add a little something extra to these already delicious coconut macaroons, I would recommend dipping them in or drizzling them with some melted chocolate. I probably would have done this to my coconut macaroons but I didn’t have any chocolate…next time, because you better believe I will be making this recipe often!

Quick & Easy Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

It is always nice to have a recipe that is not only quick and easy to put together on a busy weeknight but is also delicious! This recipe for cheesy chicken quesadillas is exactly that; quick, easy & delicious. Serve with a side of homemade guacamole and sour cream and you have a recipe perfect for any night of the week.

This recipe kind of came together on a whim, I had some whole wheat tortillas that needed to be used before they would be sentenced to life in the garbage bin and it just so happened I had some frozen chicken breast and cheddar cheese…voila cheesy chicken quesadillas was born. I did however add some caramelized onions and red bell pepper (you could use green if you want) to them to kick it up a bit and it was yummy!

Quick and Easy Cheesey Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 4 Seasoned Frozen Chicken Breast (cooked & sliced)
  • 6 Whole Wheat Tortillas (10″)
  • 3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 2 Red Bell Peppers (thinly sliced)
  • 1 large Onion (sliced)
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper

Directions

This recipe makes 3 quesadillas.*

Step One

Cook the chicken breast according to package directions. I say package directions because I used the seasoned frozen chicken breast that I bought from my local grocery store, this helps make this recipe that much easier but you could season and cook fresh chicken breast if you prefer. Once the chicken is cooked let it cool for a few minutes then thinly slice and set to the side.

Step Two

While the chicken is cooking slice the onion and red bell pepper and grate the cheese (unless you bought the cheese that is already grated of course). Place a tablespoon of olive (or canola or veggie) oil in a medium to large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated (splash a bit of water on the pan, if it pops it’s ready, don’t let it smoke though) add the onions and red bell pepper and season with salt, about 2 teaspoons.

Cook the onions and red bell pepper over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes stirring/tossing occasionally once they begin to brown turn the heat to low and continue to cook until they are caramelized (the onions will be super soft and have a caramel color). Remove from heat and set to the side.

Step Three

Turn the heat for the skillet back up to medium-high and add one tortilla to the skillet. Begin to build the quesadilla; evenly sprinkle some cheese (about half a cup) on top of the tortilla followed by the chicken and caramelized onions and bell pepper then top it off with some more cheese (again about 1/2 cup). Place a second tortilla on top and cook until the the bottom tortilla is golden (about 1-2 minutes). Carefully flip the quesadilla and cook until the bottom tortilla is golden & gorgeous and the cheese is melted and gooey.

Remove the quasadilla from the pan and cut kind of like a pie into 6 pieces. Repeat step three with remaining ingredients.

Serve with guacamole and sour cream.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

I happened to have cheddar cheese on hand so that is what I used but I would recommend trying out a blend of Mexican cheeses to add even more flavor and cheesy gooey goodness to the quesadillas.

I made a super simple guacamole to serve with my cheesy chicken quesadillas with 3 ripe avocados, juice of 1 lime, salt, pepper, garlic powder and seasoned salt (reduced sodium). Simply scoop out the avocado and place in a small bowl, smash with a fork then add the lime juice and seasonings to taste.

Baked Split Chicken Breast With Herb Goat Cheese

When buying chicken, I usually purchase boneless skinless chicken breast. However, I recently came across split chicken breast (chicken breast on the bone with skin) that were on sale for a deal that was just too good to pass up. I have to admit, it’s not that I really prefer one over the other, it’s more of a purchasing habit and because of that I honestly did not know how to go about cooking the split chicken breast. Until I came across a pin on Pinterest, it was just an image with a short description for baking the split chicken breast with herb goat cheese between the skin and the meat. Genius!

This chicken came out amazing and it was probably the simplest recipe I have ever made. The chicken was golden & gorgeous, the skin was crisp and puffed up beautifully and the best part…the chicken was so juicy and the flavor was outstanding! Needless to say I will be making this recipe frequently, especially on weeknights when I just need a quick and easy recipe without losing any flavor.

Baked Split Chicken Breast With Herb Goat Cheese

Ingredients

  • 4-5 Split Chicken Breast
  • 1 Package of Herb Goat Cheese
  • Salt & Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F

Step One

Evenly divide the goat cheese into four (or five) pieces and set to the side.

Step Two

Prepare the chicken; with a pairing knife (or chef’s knife), carefully pull the skin away from the breast meat to create a pocket between the two. Do this to all of the chicken breast.

Step Three

Place and spread the herb goat cheese into the pocket that you created. Try to get it somewhat evenly spread out, that way you have some goat cheese with every bite.

Step Four

Season the split chicken breast with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step Five

Place the chicken on a large baking sheet or dish and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 163°F (don’t worry it will continue to cook bringing the temperature up to the “safety zone”).

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

I prefer to go by temperature instead of time to ensure that I don’t accidentally overcook (or under-cook) the meat, resulting in dry chicken. Not good eats. If you have an internal thermometer that you can place in the chicken during the duration of the cooking time I would recommend using that and setting the goal temperature for 163°F.

If you don’t have an internal thermometer, you can pick one up at most large grocery and/or retail stores. Look for one that has a thermometer probe attached to a long cord that plugs into the reader, which you can preset to alert you when the desired temperature or time has been reached. This seriously is a kitchen necessity! You can use it when grilling too.

Looking for a side to serve with the baked split chicken breast with herb goat cheese? I kept it simple with a side salad and four cheese couscous! Simple, quick & extremely easy not to mention delicious (I may have already mentioned that).

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

If you all are anything like me, you spend countless minutes hours on Pinterest, more specifically on the “Food & Drink” board. I have seen many pins and have re-pinned the recipe for Philly cheesesteak stuffed bell peppers many times. I finally decided it was time to actually try the recipe instead of just drooling over the photo.

The recipe below is my adaptation of the recipe seen all over Pinterest, which I did make according to its directions, I just felt the need to kick it up a bit. The first time I made the recipe I used green bell peppers and red bell peppers (I already had some at home so I decided to give it a try) and I am glad I did, I prefer the red bell peppers over the green.

I also added a few ingredients to the “stuffing” including Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes in order to make my taste buds extra happy. These were so good, I have made them about once a week for the past month and what is even better they are super easy and quick to make. The perfect recipe for weeknight dinners!

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

Ingredients

  • 5 Red Bell Peppers (or green if you prefer)
  • 1 Large Container Mushrooms (whole or pre-sliced, 16oz.)
  • 2 Roast Beef Lunch Meat Containers (or about 16oz.)
  • 1 Large Onion (sliced, medium to thick)
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
  • 15 Slices of Provolone Cheese (5 of those slices cut in half)
  • 1-2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
  • 2 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
  • Olive Oil
  • Butter
  • Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp. Flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F

Step One

Cut the bell peppers in half length-wise and remove the stem, seeds and the membrane. Line them up on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes (if you are using green bell peppers I would recommend adding an extra 3-5 minutes).

Step Two

While the bell peppers are in the oven slice the onions, mushrooms (if needed), roast beef and mince the garlic.

Step Three

Remove the bell peppers from the oven and soak up the liquid sitting in the peppers with a paper towel. Set to the side and keep the oven on.

Step Four

In a large saute pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes then add the garlic and continuing cooking for another minute. Add the mushrooms and roast beef then season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the ingredients are all thoroughly combined.

Step Five

At this point you should notice some liquid in the pan, add the flour, a tablespoon at a time until the liquid is soaked up. Add the Worcestershire and the balsamic and stir to thoroughly combine, cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Step Six

While you are waiting during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, place the provolone slices that are cut in half inside of the bell pepper halves. Top with the meat/mushroom mixture (evenly distributed amongst the bell peppers) then top off with the remaining provolone slices.

Place in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown and bubble.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

Continuously taste the meat/mushroom mixture as it comes together, depending on your personal preference you may like more heat or more vinegar etc. Don’t be afraid to taste it and say, “Hey! I think this would be great with _____ or with more ______,” that is the best part of cooking, making it your own!

If you are looking for a really quick dinner I would recommend buying the mushrooms pre-sliced, this will save quite a bit of time when cooking these Philly cheesesteak stuffed bell peppers.

Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk pie is amazing and that is all you need to know! was and continues to be a holiday tradition in my family. This buttermilk pie recipe is from my grandmother’s cookbook (which is very old and very difficult to read) and is a must have for any holiday, special occasion or simply to satisfy your sweet tooth. Trust me this buttermilk pie recipe is amazing and best of all it is super easy to make!

Buttermilk Pie Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 Eggs (slightly beaten)
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup Butter (melted)
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1 ¾ cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°

Step One

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Step Two

Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and butter and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Step Three

Pour the batter into an unbaked pie crust and bake for 55-65 minutes or until golden & gorgeous (and set in the center).

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

The bake time for this pie can be a little tricky. One of my sisters can bake it in about 45 minutes while it takes me at least 70 minutes to have it set in the center. I would recommend baking for 50 minutes without opening the oven, you don’t want to let the heat out. After 50 minutes, quickly open the oven and gently jiggle the pie, if there is even the slightest movement, it needs more time. Try 7-10 minute intervals until the buttermilk pie no longer jiggles and is golden & gorgeous.

If you are making buttermilk pie for a special occasion, where you will be feeding a lot of people, you can easily double this recipe to make two buttermilk pies (and hey you don’t even have to stop there, make 3 or 4, buttermilk pies galore!)

Baked French Fries

Most people love french fries, in fact I don’t know one person who doesn’t. This recipe is super simple and results in some serious finger licking good baked french fries.

(Silly me decided to write this post without a picture of these yummy french fries. Trust me they’re good, a photo will come soon for those of you who really want to see it before you make it).

Ingredients

  • 3 Large Russet Potatoes
  • 1 ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1½ tsp. Seasoned Salt (reduced sodium)
  • 1 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Ground Red Pepper (optional)
  • Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Step One

Wash, peel and slice potatoes. I like big slices, like steak fries. Place into a large bowl.

Step Two

Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the potato slices and toss to coat. Make sure all of the slices are coated evenly, if you need more olive oil add just a little more, you don’t want too much though.

Add seasonings and toss to coat.

Step Three

Place the potato slices onto a greased cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden & gorgeous.

See I said easy and simple.

My Tastee Tips

I have a gas range, when I make these baked french fries in my oven, it only takes 25-30 minutes. So after about 15 minutes of cooking take a peek, if they are already looking golden then it shouldn’t be too much longer. Just keep an eye on them, burned french fries are not good eats.

If your cookie sheet won’t hold all of the potato slices (in a single layer) don’t overcrowd the pan. Simply bake in batches.

Homemade Roasted Garlic Hummus

One of my all time favorite things is hummus more specifically roasted garlic hummus. Up until recently though I only bought hummus from the store, even though I had thought about making it at home. I tend to procrastinate. But, I finally made some homemade roasted garlic hummus and let me tell you, you will never buy hummus at the store again.

This recipe is so good and easy to make, not to mention much more affordable than store-bought hummus! All you need to make fantastic homemade hummus is a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans, same thing), tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Mix in a food processor and done, the best roasted garlic hummus you have ever had.

Homemade Roasted Garlic Hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 (15.5oz) Can Chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp. Tahini
  • 1 Large Bulb of Garlic
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • 5 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • Extra Olive Oil (for roasting the garlic)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step One

Cut the top 1/3 of the bulb of garlic off, exposing the cloves (seen below). Place the bulb on some foil, drizzle with olive oil and salt. Cover the garlic with the foil and place in oven. Roast for 1 hour. (FYI: It smells fantastic!)

Remove the garlic and let cool.

Roasted Garlic

Step Two

Drain & rinse the chickpeas then place in the food processor. Squeeze the bulb of garlic to get the cloves out of the husks, place in the food processor. Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Process until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides when needed.

If it isn’t as creamy as you prefer, slowly drizzle in some more olive oil while the food processor is on.

Step Three

Place in a serving bowl or plate and serve with some pita or naan.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

You may be wondering where the heck do I buy tahini?! Well at my grocery store (HEB) I found it next to the peanut butter, on the bottom shelf. So I would look there first, if not there then check in the ethnic food aisle, if not there then I’m not too sure but I do know when all else fails you can purchase it online.

Not only do chickpeas taste good they are really good for you. You can read a little more about chickpeas and their health benefits here and detailed nutritional facts here.

This recipe for roasted garlic hummus can easily be doubled if you are throwing a party (or going to one). It can also be made the day before to make things that much easier. Just store the hummus in an airtight container and place in the fridge overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for a bit before the party and the hummus (and you) are sure to be a big hit!

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This post may not be for everyone. You either like Brussels sprouts or you hate them and more than likely you have one or two of each in your family. That is why this recipe for balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts is so good. It is simple enough to make for the one Brussels sprout lover without feeling like you wasted time and money while the rest of your family avoids them.

Brussels sprouts, like other vegetables, are really good for you and are even believed to have anticancer properties. However, avoid boiling the Brussels sprouts as it reduces the levels of good stuff. You can read more about Brussels sprouts and their health benefits here.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts
  • 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 3/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step One

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts then cut them in half lengthwise.

Step Two

Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the bowl and toss to coat.

Step Three

Lay the Brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet in an even, single layer. Place in the oven and roast for 25-35 minutes. Check the Brussels sprouts halfway through the cooking process and move them around a bit.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

Use a good aged balsamic vinegar that is thicker in consistency and a little sweet. I love balsamic vinegar and always have some on hand, if you like it too it is well worth the extra few dollars to buy a good aged balsamic vinegar. FYI: balsamic vinegar can get pretty expensive, I am talking about a bottle around $15 unless you just want to go all out, that is fine too.

When cleaning and trimming the Brussels sprouts, trim the stem on the bottom and discard any leaves that fall off (usually just a few of the outer ones that needed to be removed anyways).

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls is probably one of the easiest recipes to make. It is flavorful, healthy and most importantly yummy!

In fact it is so simple that this post is going to be equally as simple. Let’s get started already.

Stuffed Cabbage Rollds

Ingredients

  • 12-14 Cabbage Leaves
  • 1lb. Lean Ground Beef (I used 93/7)
  • 1 & 1/2 cups Cooked Rice (follow package instructions)
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 (8oz.) cans Tomato Sauce
  • 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1 Small Onion (chopped)
  • 1/4 tsp. Ground Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Step One

Cook the rice according to the package’s directions.

Step Two

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil separate the cabbage leaves. Once the water has come to a rolling boil place cabbage leaves in the pot and cook for 2-4 minutes or until flexible enough to roll (do not over cook them though).

Remove cabbage leaves from the pot and let cool.

Step Three

In a large bowl combine the ground beef, rice, egg, half of one can of tomato sauce (4oz.), onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Thoroughly combine all of the ingredients.

Step Four

Lightly grease/spray a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Step Five

Once the cabbage leaves are cool enough to handle, begin to roll. Lay out one cabbage leaf at a time and spoon some of the meat and rice mixture in the middle. Roll the cabbage leaf around the meat, tucking in the sides, and lay seam side down in the 9×13 dish. Repeat until all cabbage leaves and/or meat mixture is used.

Step Six

Pour remaining tomato sauce (1 & 1/2 cans) on top of the stuffed cabbage rolls. Sprinkle the ground cayenne pepper evenly on top of the sauce/rolls.

Step Seven

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until the internal temperature of the cabbage rolls reach 165 degrees.

Step Eight

Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tip

You can get 12-14 cabbage leaves off of one head of cabbage but I found it really difficult to remove more than 5 leaves without tearing them almost completely apart (makes the rolling process difficult). I would recommend getting 2 large heads of cabbage or 3 medium heads of cabbage to ensure you have enough leaves to roll without them being torn.

Also if your cabbage leaves are small, you may need more than 12-14 leaves.

The amount of meat and rice mixture you put into each cabbage leaf will vary according to the size of the leaf. Just make sure you do not over stuff the leaves, you want to have enough of the cabbage to ensure it can hold it together.

I used more salt and cayenne pepper than listed above. I like salt and I like spice, some do and some don’t. Taste your food, obviously not the raw meat mixture, if you like salt add another teaspoon then taste once cooked. If you need more salt or more spice sprinkle a little more on top to finish off the stuffed cabbage rolls. Then devour.