Even Lazier Cabbage Rolls

In the winter we get lots of cabbages from our CSA.  Our family loves cabbage cooked with onion and bacon or made into a coleslaw, too.  But I remembered those cabbage rolls from my youth and wanted something like that.

But time is an issue for me somedays.  And even when I have time, I don't necessarily want to spend it filling cabbage leaves and trying to arrange them in a casserole dish.  Because remember, I'm cooking for 8 people.  And even though there are 6 kids, they eat A LOT.  So a little dish of 6 or 8 cabbage rolls would just be a good start.  lol

My friend Kathy posted this recipe and variations a long time ago and it was a go to recipe here for a while.   I would do her casserole version.  I would do a big 10x13 pan of it and there were rarely leftovers.  I needed to make more.

This fall I came up with my even lazier version, that feeds us all with a little leftovers.  You may need to downsize this recipe if you don't feed an army  like I do.

Even Lazier Cabbage Rolls

enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan

1 onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

4-6 carrots, diced

2-3 pounds ground beef (or venison works great in this one too)

1 large or 2 medium heads of cabbage, rough chopped

46 oz can tomato juice (we have tons of these leftover from our WIC days)

1 c water

1 1/2- 2 cups white rice

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or dutch oven (I use my Le Cruset large oval French oven), drizzle the olive oil. Brown the onion for a couple minutes (you know, the amount of time it takes to mince the garlic). Add the ground beef and garlic. Brown until mostly cooked through. (the amount of time it takes to peel the carrots and dice them). Add the carrots and continue to cook. It takes a good stir to get it all incorporated. Then add the chopped cabbage. I let that cook for about 5 minutes, covered to let the cabbage start to wilt down.

Stir in the rice, tomato juice and water. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for about 40 minutes. Check about 20 minutes into the cooking time to check the amount of liquid. You may need to add more water. When the rice it cooked, season with salt and pepper and serve!

I gave ranges for meat and rice because some times I thaw more meat than other times. So the times when I have only 2 lbs of meat, I need to add more rice to stretch it out. My kids all love this. Very nice comfort food and super lazy!