Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

These are out of this world. So, I just had to share them with you.

Classic Cabbage Rolls

1 medium head cabbage, cored
1-1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
1 tablespoon butter
2 cans (14-1/2 ouncs each Italian stewed tomatoes)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound bulk Italian sausage (I buy a package of Italian sausages...that are each a little bigger than hotdogs..and use just one of them for the right amount. The rest can be saved for something else.) I actually used hot Italian chicken sausage, only 4 grams of fat.
1/4 cup V-8 juice, optional

In a dutch oven, cook cabbage in boiling water for 10 minutes or until outer leaves are tender; drain. Rinse in cold water; drain. Remove eight large outer leaves (refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use); set aside. INSTEAD..what I do is wrap the cabbage in saran wrap. Microwave it for 20 minutes on 80% power.

In a saucepann, saute 1 cup onion in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. (I cut down the sugar to just 1 Tablespoon.) Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine rice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, peppper and remaining onion and salt. Add beef and sausage; mix well. Carve off some of the thick vein from cabbage leaves for easier rolling.

Place about 1/2 cup meat mixture on each; fold in sides. (I divide the meat into 8 portions, so that they're all the same size.) Starting at an unfolded edge, roll up leaf to completely enclose filling. Place seam side down in a skillet. Top with the sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Add V8 juice if desired. (I never do this. There's plenty of the sauce.) Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes longer or until rolls are heated throgh and meat is no longer pink. You can also bake in the oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.
Yield 8 stuffed cabbages..2 for each person usually.
Enjoy!
Carol