Shelly's Recipe

Cabbage Patch Casserole

Category: Casseroles - Beef

4 to 6 servings
1 pound of breakfast sausage, Italian sausage or ground beef
2 1/2 cups of chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped green or red bell pepper
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 cup of beef stock/broth or water
1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs, such as herbes de provence
1/2 teaspoon of Cavenders or other all purpose seasoning
3 tablespoons of uncooked long grain rice
6 cups of coarsely chopped, raw cabbage
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish; set aside. Add the sausage or beef to a large skillet and cook until lightly browned. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes with their juices, Worcestershire, herbes, Cavender's and rice. Stir together; set aside.

Scatter the cabbage evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole. Pour the meat mixture all over the top, seal tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours. If using cheese, uncover, sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven until cheese has melted.

Cook's Notes: Substitute a mixture of thyme, sage, marjoram and rosemary for the herbes de provence. Add oregano for an Italian flavor and for Mexican, substitute small amounts of coriander, cayenne, pepper, cilantro, chili and cumin.