Into the Bag #4: The “Photo Incident”

Once again, into the mailbag I go! Just a moment … Just a… moment! An envelope is sticking to my fingers! Can’t seem to let it go … 

Oh, my goodness! It’s another letter from Mrs. Harold Schermerlinger of Philadelphia! Perhaps it’s about that lawsuit she said she’d be filing. I’ll read what she has to say …

“Mr. Harold Schermerlinger and I have changed our minds about suing you. We read your post about the chicken disaster and how you wrecked your smoke detector and fell off that ladder and thought: Serves her right!

“Mr. Harold Schermerlinger and I would like to compliment you on the professional photos we’ve seen on your blog. Do you use a Brownie camera? We urge you to keep up your efforts at photography so readers can judge for themselves.”

Thanks for that, Mrs. Schermerlinger! After my Brownie camera died, I bought the cheapest possible cell phone and started using its camera. I’m thrilled with the results! - Nicole

One Click: Energy Bars and Power Bars

COVID-19 is upon us. No jokes, folks. It’s serious. Home-cooking and baking is helping Ron and me get through it. So are mild indoor activities such as reading, computer games, and catching up with family and friends via email, Zoom, social media, and the occasional phone call. 

As social creatures, it’s difficult to practice social isolation. It’s difficult to wear a mask when we make essential visits such as going to the pharmacy or grocery store.

COVID-19 is not a “hoax,” as irresponsible and irrational people have claimed. It’s life-threatening. It’s difficult to keep our spirits up. But we must - and will.

As Summer slowly winds down to Fall, allow yourself a little treat. If you have the groceries to make one or two of these energy bars and power bars, do. They’ll lift your spirits to help you face another day. We’re all in this, together.

They’re Indexed under Candy and Confections, but, as a specialty item, they’re also Indexed as Energy Bars and Power Bars: One Click. These bars are a fast and easy way to boost your serotonin levels. The listing includes:

• Peanut Butter Energy Bars

• No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

• Oatmeal Sesame Bars

• Butterscotch Oat Squares

• High-Energy Toffee Roll-Ups

• No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars

• Colon Rockets

And yes ... Those really are the No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars that taste exactly like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! 

Basil-Corn Summer Salad

This easy dish is versatile and inexpensive as a salad or side dish. Substitute stuffed olives for the tomatoes, if you like, or try grated red onion instead of green onion.

As long as you start with a can of corn, anything goes with this salad. For a Mexican twist, spice it up with a little chipotle seasoning and a dash of chili flakes, if you like. Olé!

While you’re thinking about corn salads, Nancy’s Summer Salad is definitely one of my favorites. I hope you’ll try it, too.

Basil-Corn Summer Salad:

Two 12 fl. oz. (314 mL) cans niblet corn

3/4 c. (185 mL) grape tomatoes or stuffed or pitted olives or a combination of both 

3 green onions (aka “spring” onions), angle-sliced thinly, including green portions

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 tbsp. (25 mL) lemon juice

1/4 c. (60 mL) olive oil

Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

3/4 c. (185 mL) fresh basil leaves, stemmed and slivered thinly

Drain corn, setting aside. Slice grape tomatoes and/or olives in half, resting cut-side down 5 or 10 min. on a paper towel, to soak up extra juices. In work bowl, combine tomatoes and/or olives with corn, green onions, and bell pepper. Cover up to 2 hr., or until needed. In a lidded jar, shake together lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings. Pour over corn mixture and toss. Add basil leaves, tossing once more. Serve at once. Yields 4 portions.

Linda W.’s Daughter’s Miso Chicken Recipe

My friend, Linda Walkem, would be embarrassed if I revealed her full name as the source of this recipe, so I’ll refer to Linda Walkem only as Linda W. to preserve Linda Walkem’s anonymity. 

Five or six years ago, my friend Linda W. gave me her daughter’s Miso Chicken recipe. I wanted to make this dish right away because Linda W. has always said her daughter’s a great cook. Naturally, I lost Linda W.’s daughter’s Miso Chicken recipe almost immediately, and forgot to tell Linda W.

Five or six years is a long time. I seem to recall that Linda W.’s daughter’s Miso Chicken recipe was “paleo.” I’d always assumed paleo was a game Prince Charles and his pals played on horseback, but Google set me straight: 

“A paleo diet is a dietary plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.”  

Some of the food in my fridge is definitely that old, so this recipe probably qualifies. Hurray, because Linda W.’s daughter’s Miso Chicken recipe recently resurfaced in my sock drawer.

This recipe requires a large whole fryer or roasting chicken, some miso paste, puréed peaches, and applesauce. 

How difficult can that be? Still, I fretted about the recipe’s instructions to broil the chicken until slightly browned; transfer it to a slow cooker for three hours on “low”; and then leave it in the slow cooker for two more hours on “warm.”

Let’s just say visions of pathogens danced in my head. Forget the broiler: Leaving the chicken on “low” for three hours and two more hours on “warm”?  I was nervous. 

I asked my friend Lorna’s opinion, but she hadn’t used her slow cooker in awhile. Lorna asked her daughter, Arlette, who’s never cooked a roasting chicken and didn’t know, either. 

Linda W. didn’t know, and asked her daughter, who didn’t answer. So Linda W. sent her daughter a second email. Linda W. cc’d me on that email, headed “Miso Soup.” 

“This isn’t a soup recipe - it’s a chicken recipe!” I emailed Linda W. in frustration.

Snapped Linda W. back: “What chicken?” 

I was now very nervous (even more so than during the Clam Chowder Incident, when Electrocution by Clams seemed inevitable). Compared to that little fiasco, Linda W.’s daughter’s Miso Chicken recipe was a piece of cake ...(Orange Sponge Cake, being the exception).

I’d bought the peaches and the applesauce and the miso, and had a honking big roasting chicken dripping salmonella all over the kitchen counter. Linda W. and Linda W.’s daughter said they’d never heard of Miso Chicken. More to the point, they said they’d never cooked it. 

Linda W. and Linda W.’s daughter knew nothin’ ’bout nuthin’. This was not encouraging.

Whimpering, I set out to make Miso Chicken on my own. Things did not go well. 

• Chicken spits and crackles under broiler.

• Smoke detector starts screaming. 

• Start screaming. 

• Run for ladder. 

• Cancel smoke alarm. 

• Stash ladder in cupboard.

• Race to remove chicken from oven. 

• Smoke detector renews screaming. 

• Instantly forget chicken. 

• Grab ladder. 

• Disconnect alarm. 

• Smoke detector falls on floor. 

• Ladder collapses. 

• I crash to ground. 

• Limp into kitchen. 

• Chicken burns with enthusiasm.

• Extract chicken from oven. 

• Curse Linda W.’s daughter’s Miso Chicken recipe. 

• Curse pathogens.

• Bake chicken in regular oven.

“New recipe?” asks Ron.

“Shad-dup,” I say.

Into the Bag #3: The “Lawsuit Incident”

It’s time to pore through the vast number of letters Nicole Parton’s Favorite Recipes receives each week. There are so many letters, I can barely reach into the bag! 

Ah-h-h ... Here’s one from Mrs. Harold Schermerlinger of Philadelphia. Hal-looo, Mrs. Schermerlinger! How’s life in the Cream Cheese Capital of the world? Mrs. Schermerlinger writes: 

“How dare you insult my husband! 

Mr. Harold Schermerlinger wrote you in good faith after you single-handedly destroyed his 64th birthday party with your disgusting recipe for Orange Sponge Cake ! 

“Do you know how courageous he was to write? 

Mr. Schermerlinger was so-o-o excited about the party. When I told him he was getting a “sponge” for his birthday, he thought I meant a “sea sponge.”  

He grabbed it and headed for the hot tub in front of all his birthday guests, after which everyone packed up and left. Can you imagine his embarrassment? We’re seeing a lawyer. Who do you think you are?” 

I’m Nicole Parton! Was Mr. Schermerlinger wearing his (ba-da-boom!) birthday suit? - Nicole 

Into the Bag is an occasional feature that dips into the mailbag to answer readers’ questions. 

Chickpea Stew with a Kick

Prepare to be surprised! This stew is outstanding! And so’s the kick of spice. Run out and buy what you need now, because you’ve just got to have this for dinner! The basis of this vegetarian stew comes from Alison Roman of The New York Times; I’ve removed the parts that didn’t work and added new parts that do. 

You’ll want to make this delicious vegetarian dish over and over - especially if you like spicy food. It can easily be modified to suit vegan tastes, as well.  I can hardly wait to make again!

Chickpea Stew with a Kick

1/3 c. (80 mL) olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, chopped rough

1 large onion, chopped rough

Piece of ginger the size of your thumb, skinned, chopped rough

1-1/2 tsp. (7.5 mL) powdered ginger

Salt and pepper to taste, freshly ground

2 tsp. (10 mL) powdered turmeric

2 tsp. (10 mL) chili flakes

Three 13.5 oz. each (398 mL each) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Two 13.5 oz. each (400 mL each) cans full-fat coconut milk

2 c. (500 mL) vegetable or chicken stock

1 bunch kale, rinsed and blotted dry (about 4 c. or 1 L with stems removed and leaves torn slightly larger than bite-sized ... See Note) 

1/4 c. (60 mL) cornstarch

2 tbsp. (25 mL) cold water

Yogurt, for serving (optional)

Mint sprigs, as garnish (optional)

Bread, pita, or lavash, for serving

Prepare and array ingredients before starting. Heat oil over medium-high setting in large pot. When oil sizzles, stir in garlic, onion, and powdered and fresh gingers with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium, stirring until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 min.  

Thumb-sized piece of ginger, 

chopped rough.

Adjusting heat as necessary from medium to medium-high to medium again, add turmeric, chili flakes, and drained chickpeas. Stir, uncovered, 8-to-10 min. to develop flavors.

Mash chickpeas, leaving some whole. Again adjusting heat - now from medium-low to simmer - add coconut milk and stock, stirring frequently to ensure chickpeas don’t stick to bottom of pot and coconut milk doesn’t scorch. 

Still uncovered, simmer 45-to-60 min., stirring often, until stew reduces in volume and flavors blend and deepen. Add additional freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste.  

To small bowl, add cornstarch, gradually stirring in cold water until smooth. Add to stew in small portions, stirring until stew starts to thicken. 

Add prepared kale, simmering and stirring until wilted and softened, about 5 min. Ladle hot stew into bowls, topping with yogurt and small mint sprigs. Serve with your choice of bread. Yields 4-to-6 servings.

Note: My preference for removing kale’s tough stems is with a pair of kitchen shears - a fast, easy, and efficient method. I’m not a kale fan, but kale is magnificent in this recipe, adding taste, nutrition, and color.

For more stew recipes, see One Click: Stew.

Ready to serve: Chickpea Stew with a Kick!

Carry On, Shortbread

I understand you’re going bonkers. We’ve never seen anything like COVID-19, before. Keep your spirits up. Stay calm. Stay safe. And carry on by sleeping regular hours; eating nutritious food; drinking plenty of water; exercising. 

It’s also important to treat yourself. Bake, baby, bake! What cookie could possibly be more decadent than shortbread? It doesn’t have to wait until the holiday season.

Carry On, Shortbread: 

1/2 c. (125 mL) icing sugar (“confectioners’ sugar”)

2 c. (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) salt

1 c. (250 mL) butter

Preheat oven to 300 deg. F. Sift dry ingredients together. Blend in butter. A food processor is ideal for this job. Chill dough 10-to-15 min. Roll into 1-in. (2.54 cm) balls. Flatten with bottom of lightly floured drinking glass. Criss-cross unbaked cookie tops with flour-coated tines of fork. 

Place ½-in. (1.25 cm) apart on parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake 20-25 min., or until edges are lightly browned. After 3 min., use metal spatula to transfer to wire cooling rack. Makes 1-1/2 dozen.

For more shortbread recipes, see One Click: Shortbread.

Sesame Marinade

I was lucky enough to find some high-quality, hard-frozen ahi tuna the other day, at $4 for each boneless slab. I’m about to place this excellent marinade with the frozen tuna into a sealed plastic bag, letting the tuna thaw slowly as it absorbs the marinade’s flavors. We’ll then toss it into a hot cast iron skillet to flash-fry it in 1 tsp. canola oil heated to the sizzling point. Served with Sunomono Salad, this great dinner is certainly a treat.

This recipe requires extra time 

for marination

Sesame Marinade for Fish:

1 c. (250 mL) dry red wine

3/4 c. (180 mL) red wine vinegar

1/4 c. (60 mL) dark sesame oil

1/2 c. (125 mL) olive oil

6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tbsp. (45 mL) ginger, finely minced

1 tbsp. (15 mL) powdered thyme (or 2 tsp. (10 mL) fresh thyme, stemmed and finely sliced)

1 tsp. (5 mL) granulated sugar

Dash salt

Shake ingredients together in lidded jar.

Note: Can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen (thawed gradually) until needed. To marinate fish (or tuna, as I did), place frozen fish in zipper-style plastic freezer bag. Add marinade, turning every hour. Marinate thin, delicate fish 1-to-2 hr., and thicker, dense fish 6 or 7 hr., allowing fish to thaw gradually. 

Use only high-quality, hard-frozen, sushi grade fish for safety. I didn’t salt the fish, letting the marinade’s flavors prevail. Ron likes to flash-fry tuna in a light coating of flour combined with powdered wasabi, to taste. You’ll find powdered wasabi in most major supermarkets.

Crispy Potato Bites

The secret to this dish? Plenty of hot air. No, that’s not a reference to this blog. These potatoes taste as if they’d come straight from a deep-fat fryer ... without the fat. They’re crispy, crispy, crispy! The secret to these delectable little bites is convection baking.

To make this recipe with one small-to-medium-sized potato, go ahead and use your toaster oven on its convection setting, but making these with more than one potato requires a regular oven (also  on its convection setting) to achieve the “crisp” that gives these potatoes their name. The proportions below yield three or four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately. As these are best served fresh, don’t make more than you can expect to consume in one sitting. Here’s what to do: 

Crispy Potato Bites:

About 2 lb. (0.9 kg) Russet or similar baking potatoes (See Note)

About 3 tbsp. (45 mL) olive oil

About 1 tbsp. (15 mL) seasoning salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. on convection setting.  

Rinse and scrub potatoes in cold water. Blot dry with paper toweling. Peel - or don’t - as you please. If using peeled potatoes, rinse again after peeling; blot dry. Rough-chop into irregular pieces about 1.5 in. (3.8 cm) square. If you prefer a french-fry shape, watch them carefully; cooking time may need shortening. Then ... 

Crispy Potato Bites

In small bowl, combine olive oil and seasoning salt. Pour over and around potatoes, tossing until thoroughly coated. spread in a single layer over greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 min., turning once. Potatoes cut as french fries will need turning three or four times. Serve at once.

Note: I’ve made these potatoes peeled and unpeeled. They’re crispier skin-off,  but are still delicious skin-on.

Sweet ’n’ Sour Meatballs

These are really, really delicious - similar to the Hawaiian Meatballs recipe I published a couple of weeks ago, but with thinly sliced vegetables, soy sauce, and 

homemade pork meatballs. 

Served with lightly buttered rice, this dish is perfect for serving guests or as an everyday meal. These cook up nicely on a hot plate, too.

Sweet ’n’ Sour Meatballs:

To Prepare the Meatballs:

1-1/2 lb. (0.7 kg) ground pork

1 small onion, chopped fine

1/2 c. (125 mL) mushrooms, canned and drained or sliced and fried in a little butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt

Dash pepper

1 tbsp. (15 mL) sherry

2 tbsp. (25 mL) soy sauce

2 tbsp. (25 mL) cornstarch

1 tsp. (5 mL) granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Have all ingredients prepared and arrayed before beginning. In medium bowl, working with clean hands, combine pork, onion, salt, and pepper. In small bowl, stir together sherry, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar. Add to pork mixture, once again working with clean hands until well combined. Form into balls of about 1/2 in. (1.3 cm). Place on parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake 20 min., turning once. Blot away fat, adding to sauce as recipe instructs.

No oven where you’re cooking? Fry ’em - but expect far more mess and far more fat. Not my preferred method, for sure ... Removing meatballs with a slotted spoon helps. Blot away fat before adding to hot sauce.

To Prepare the Sauce:

Juice from one 19 fl. oz. (540 mL) can pineapple chunks, fruit reserved

3 tbsp. (45 mL) canola oil

2 tbsp. (25 mL) brown sugar

1 tsp. (5 mL) salt

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) pepper

1/4 c. (60 mL) white vinegar

2 medium-sized carrots, angle-sliced thinly

2 green bell peppers (“capsicums”), seeded and slivered

1 medium tomato, sliced into wedges

1/2 c. (125 mL) cold water

2 tbsp. (25 mL) cornstarch

To a medium skillet, add pineapple juice, oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Stir to combine, simmering until bubbles form on surface. Stir in carrots and bell peppers, cooking 1 min. Add tomato wedges, pineapple, and meatballs, simmering until heated through. In small bowl, gradually add cold water to cornstarch, mixing with a fork until smooth. Gradually stir into sauce mixture, cooking until slightly thickened. Serve at once. Makes enough for 4. 

Into the Bag #2: The “Orange Sponge Cake Incident”

Reader Harold Schermerlinger of Philadelphia writes:

“You are a cruel and twisted b----! Yesterday, to celebrate my 64th birthday, my wife, Mrs. Harold Schermerlinger, made your Orange Sponge Cake. She trusted you. Why would you publish such a thing? You ruined my birthday. You are evil.” 

 Caveat emptor? - Nicole

 Into the Bag is an occasional feature that dips into the mailbag to answer readers’ questions. 

Asian Salad Dressing

This is another terrific salad dressing you won’t find in most recipe books. Try it with glass noodles (aka mung bean noodles, harusame, vermicelli noodles, bean thread noodles, or cellophane noodles).

These noodles can be cooked a couple of different ways, but for now, we’re thinking salads: Fill a saucepan with unsalted water. Bring it to a boil. Add noodles. Lower heat and simmer 3 to 4 min. until noodles appear clear. Drain and immediately soak noodles in cold water. When they’re chilled through, toss them with just enough Asian Dressing so they won’t stick together. 

What’s in your fridge? Green onions …? Angle-slice them Thinly. Perhaps some radishes or carrots? Do the same. You don’t need much. Toss in some frozen peas, if you like.  Don’t cook them; they’ll thaw. Got any leftover meat? Slice it thinly; add it, too. And there you have it.

And hey! If you don’t have noodles, this makes an excellent dressing for greens, too!

A simple salad … A versatile and delicious dressing! What more could anyone want? In this challenging time of a global pandemic, don’t answer that!

Asian Salad Dressing:

2 tbsp. (25 mL) sesame oil

2 tbsp. (25 mL) mirin

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. (20 mL) Gochujang paste (See Note)

2 tsp. (10 mL) rice vinegar

Add to a lidded jar, shaking until well combined.

Note: Gochujang paste is a rich, aromatic, concentrated chili paste from Korea. Add more than the recipe suggests if you like spicy food. 

How to Poach Chicken Breasts

Simple, once you know how ... In skillet or pot, array chicken in single layer, snugly overlapping, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If desired, add white wine and/or sprig of fresh thyme. Add enough cold water to cover chicken. 

Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat, covering skillet or pot. Simmer about 10 min. until opaque and instant-gauge thermometer reads 165 deg. F. in thickest part of chicken. 

Transfer chicken from poaching liquid to single layer in clean, dry container. Cover and refrigerate until chilled through before slicing into 3/8 in. (0.95 cm) widths. Use as recipe directs, serving hot, warm, or chilled. 

Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad

You’ve probably ripped many recipes from magazines in medical waiting rooms; scribbled many down as you’ve watched TV chefs; and copied many links. This recipe comes from my files. Poaching and chilling the chicken the day before will reduce your prep time. I made this dish so fast that I forgot to take photos! This lightly dressed summer salad for two is packed with nutrition and interesting flavors.

Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad:

8 slices thick bacon

1 tbsp. (15 mL) butter or margarine

1/2 tsp.(2 mL) canola oil 

2 c. (500 mL) chopped asparagus, rinsed, blotted dry

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) lemon pepper, or to taste

8 oz. (227 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all fat removed, rinsed, blotted dry, poached See: How to Poach Chicken Breasts

1/4 c. (60 mL) dry white wine (optional) 

1 sprig fresh thyme (optional)

Enough cold water to cover chicken in skillet by about an inch (2.5 cm)

4 c. (1 L) spinach, stems removed, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces 

1 large, ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

1/4 c. (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 c. (60 mL) balsamic vinegar

Fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Salt and pepper, to taste

Microwave or fry bacon until slightly crispy. Drain off fat. Crumble bacon into bite-sized pieces. In medium skillet over high heat, melt butter or margarine with oil. Add asparagus, sautéeing until golden brown. Season with lemon pepper; set aside.

Working bottom up, layer spinach, poached and sliced chicken, asparagus, and bacon. Slice avocado, arranging over salad. Serve chilled, garnishing two or three basil leaves and a flourish of salt and pepper. Serves 2. 

Grandma’s Cabbage Rolls

When I pulled this great little recipe from my files, I thought how much and how often I’ve enjoyed it over the years. While the recipe for My Favorite Cabbage Rolls will always be my favorite, this one’s a close second and Cabbage Casserole with Pork is a close third. Because these superb recipes are fairly similar, I’ve overlapped their instructions. I hope you’ll try all three versions: I haven’t illustrated this one because ... well, sometimes a cabbage roll is just a cabbage roll.

Grandma’s Cabbage Rolls:

2 large green cabbages

1 c. (250 mL) uncooked rice

2 tbsp. (25 mL) butter or margarine 

1 lb. (500 g) ground pork (See Note)

2 small onions, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) dill weed

3 tbsp. (45 mL) fresh parsley

One 14 fl. oz.(400 mL) can diced tomatoes, drained

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 egg

2 c. (500 mL) tomato-based pasta sauce, divided

One 10 fl.oz. (284 mL) can condensed cream of tomato soup

Preheat oven to 325 deg. F. 

Using long, thin knife, core centers of cabbages. Place cabbages on circular rack in deep saucepan, working one at a time. Add enough water to cover rack. Cover pot, steaming cabbage about 10 min. on medium-high heat. Removing cabbage from pot, slice away softened outer leaves before returning cabbage to pot. Top up water, repeating process until all leaves are soft and pliable.

Pat leaves dry with paper towel. While leaves are still warm, shave thick spines with paring knife, making them more flexible and easier to roll without breaking. Set aside; do not refrigerate.   

Prepare and cook rice (see Index for How to Cook Rice). When rice has finished cooking, add butter or margarine to pot, allowing to melt. Stir and set aside. 

Over medium-low heat in large skillet, add pork, onions, garlic, and seasonings, breaking up pork and gently sautéing until no pink remains in pork. Drain fat. Still working over medium-low heat, add cooked rice, diced tomatoes, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cool to room temperature. In small bowl, whisk egg with a fork. Combine egg and mixture in skillet. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine pasta sauce and tomato soup, spreading thinly over base of lightly greased 9x13 in. (23x 33 cm) casserole dish.

Remove or shave thin any thick stems remaining on cabbage leaves. Laying each leaf flat, fill centers with about 1/3 c. (80 mL) mixture. Fold in sides and roll leaf up, placing seam-side down in casserole. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves, including small ones.

Pour remaining sauce over cabbage rolls, covering tightly with foil. Bake, covered, 1-1/2 hr. Offer plain sour cream or well-drained Greek yogurt on the side. Serves 6.

Note: Use cooked, ground turkey or cooked, ground beef, if you prefer. For a vegetarian option, substitute a mixture of cooked lentils and black beans.