{meaty monday: stuffed cabbage stoup}

As I mentioned before, I'm not very good at keeping to a Meatless Monday schedule. Prime example: tonight's dinner featured one and a half pounds of ground beef. 

Oh well... we will have meat free Tuesday. {doesn't have the same ring to it, I know} 

Tonight I made what was intended to be a comfort-food Sunday meal: Rachel Ray's Stuffed Cabbage Stoup.*   

I am part Polish, and grew up with Golabki {labor intensive stuffed cabbage}. My grandmother made it, my mother makes it... and I found a shortcut. {someday I will make the real thing... and some pierogi}

This "stoup" was very good. Paired with a buttered roll, it was a warm, hearty-yet-healthy nod to an old family recipe. {hubs had two bowls} I will definitely make it again. 

I think the only flavor that I missed was the depth that gets added to the golabki when it is baked in the oven... maybe I could try roasting the cabbage before adding it to the soup? Next time. 

I am looking forward to seeing how everything melds together for leftovers tomorrow- the recipe says it only makes four servings... they would have to be belly-busting servings. 

The stoup in my beautiful Le Creuset Soup Pot... Thank you Mom!

*My modifications to her recipe were: substituting meatloaf mix for 90% Lean Ground Beef; I used Basmati Rice due to personal taste preference, and cooked the rice in the microwave while I was browning the meat, et al.; I added a dash of sour salt with the initial spices and then a squeeze or so of ketchup {based on a shared family recipe containing both}... oh, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce just because. 

I love these bowls... in my dreams I have a whole set- not just three.

...These spoons are beautiful, and funny! ...Makes me want to go shopping!