Töltött Káposzta or Stuffed Cabbage

Töltött Káposzta is the Hungarian name for stuffed cabbage. My father, whose parents were both from Hungary, taught my mother how to make stuffed cabbage. I'm not sure how authenic the recipe is with Campbell's tomato soup as one of the ingredients, but the important thing is that these cabbage rolls are delicious. My father passed away when I was just 5 months old, so when I make his recipe I feel like it is a tribute to the father I never really got to know!

Ingredients:
1 extra large head of cabbage

2 pounds very lean ground beef
3 large cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 large onion chopped
1/2 cup water
rounded 1/2 cup of uncooked rice
salt(optional)

1 package of sauerfraut ( I like the kind packaged in a plastic bag)
1 can of Campbell's Tomato soup

Boil water in a large stainless steel (non reactive) kettle or pot half full. Once the water is boiling add the whole head of cabbage, which has had the core cut out. As the leaves soften remove leaves one at a time and put aside. You may have to return the cabbage to the boiling water repeatedly.

Prepare the stuffing by mixing together the rest of the ingredients except for the sauerkraut and tomato soup.

To stuff a leaf remove the rib on the back side of the leaf and then spoon some of the stuffing on top. The amount of stuffing depends on the size of the leaf. Roll leaf tucking in the sides to make a nice package. Push in on the sides of the roll to secure.

Place rolls inside the same large pot you boiled the cabbage in, with a thin layer of sauerkraut and tomato soup. Layer and repeat leaving the last layer as sauerkraut and tomato soup.

Cook about 1/2 hour until very hot, then simmer 2 -3 hours. Refrigerate once cool. These taste even better the older they are.
Enjoy :)

Plum Kuchen/Apple Kuchen

It seems like forever since I made a recipe post. Despite that fact, I have been cooking. I've just been lazy in the blogging department :)

Ever since I was a little girl plum and apple kuchen have been high on my list of all time favorites. What can be better than a sweet yeasty dough topped with apples or plums in season? The small Italian plums that are in the grocery stores right now made me make these kuchen for my family.

I make the dough in my bread machine and I used 2- 7"x11" pans. I have enough dough in my refrigerator to make 2 more pans. The dough keeps about 3 days. You can use round cake pans or a larger high sided cookie sheet but it will only be enough dough for 2 in that case.

Here's the recipe for the dough in the bread machine:

1 cup milk (warm -microwave 1 min)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp. or 1 pkg. yeast

When the dough is ready, divide in to 4 pieces. Use what you want and store the rest in an oiled bowl tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Roll out dough to fill pan. This is a very sticky dough. You might have to let it rest a bit in order to get it to fit the pan.

Melt about 2 tbs. (1 tablespoon butter for each pan). Brush top of dough with butter. For the plum kuchen wash and pit, but do not peel about 12 or more small Italian plums. Place on dough cut side up. Mix about a 1/4 of a cup of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon(double the amount for two pans). Sprinkle generously and drizzle the remaining melted butter on top. For the apple kuchen peel and cut up about 3 apples, quarter and the cut each quarter in half. Arrange on top of the buttered dough then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture and the remaining melted butter. Optional add a few raisins. Cover with waxed paper and a towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 min until doubled. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 min. Cool and enjoy :)