Why this blog??

Why this blog?? I often find myself stressing over what to make for my family for dinner. We live a busy life and some meals need time to prep, cook and let's not forget shopping for everything you need. I love cookbooks and websites, but there are so many recipe's at times it is overwhelming. The recipe's I will be posting are things I actually made. I will tell you if they are easy or more time consuming. I will also tell you if they are good. Most of these are recipe's I have made for years and continue to make because they are easy or quick and my family loves them and i know yours will too! I will also try to at least once in a whlie try a new recipe I've found on line or in a book and honestly rate it. I always encourage others to send me their favorite recipe's as well! I am a mom... not a chef. But I am a mom who enjoys cooking for her family and making a somewhat healthy meal (some days more healthy than others:) ) In each recipe I will share how I recommend serving it, any substitutions I can think of that are also good, or ways to prepare ahead of time to make the cooking part seem quicker! I am not a photographer, as you can see... most of these pictures are taken from my phone camera, so may not be the best! I love to hear from others who have made these recipes and what they have done to change the recipe... please post comments! Thank you! To "like" me on facebook, go to this link... It's What's Cookin

Monday, May 30, 2011

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

I went to one of my favorite restaurants while visiting back home and they had this amazing soup!! My mom came up with this recipe that duplicates it pretty close. I love the tanginess. I have to warn you, I can't tell you exactly how I made it... I'm one of those add more of this, taste, add more of that, taste, type of cook. Below is the recipe my mom gave me. I cut it in half since there are only two of us eating it. Half the recipe made enough for two meals plus I froze have for another two meals.  Here is the recipe, see my notes below on how I cut it in half and what things I added more of.


3 lbs ground sirloin - brown
1 large sweet onion - diced
1 red cabbage – sliced and diced
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1 box of beef stock
1 cup long grain rice (not minute rice)
1 lemon – juice
½ cup brown sugar
dash of vinegar to taste
seasonings– Nature Seasoning and Montreal spicy


Brown meat add onion, tomatoes, broth, lemon, and sugar - simmer 10 minutes.
Add rice and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Add cabbage and simmer 10 more minutes until cabbage is tender.

This makes a huge batch. You may want to cut it in half. Then just use the small cans of tomatoes and a small can of stock.


*** I used 1 1/2 lbs of meat, a small sweet onion, 3/4 of a small red cabbage, small cans of tomatoes, 3/4 cup of rice, I used the whole box of beef stock, the whole lemon, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar.  For seasonings I used Nature Seasoning, Lawry's, Salt and Pepper. After I added cabbage, I left pot on low for about an hour. I kept adding a little more seasonings, lemon juice, and vinegar to get the tanginess I like. You may like it sweeter and the original recipe may be fine for you, but I like it more vinegary.

Enjoy!



It's a thicker soup, like chili. You can add more liquid if you want.