Weekend Cookbook Challenge #26: My Crock Pot, My Hero

It has been a long time since I've had time to participate in what is still one of my favourite blogging events, Weekend Cookbook Challenge. This wonderful event was created by my best friend and right hand bread baking buddy, Sara of I Like to Cook over two years ago making it one of the longest running food blogging events. So, when I found out my super friend, Lisa of La Mia Cucuina was hosting this month and she had chose Crock Pots, Dutch Ovens and Pressure Cookers as the theme, well it was just the theme to bring me back into the fold!

As you may remember from earlier posts, I've been working really long hours, six or seven days a week for about a month. This hasn't left me much time to fix myself dinner, let alone lunch and this is where my crock pot has been a life saver! Since Lisa announced this month's theme, I've used my crock pot at least once a week. My 1975 edition of Mable Hoffman's classic Crockery Cookery hasn't been off my counter.

I've made Chicken Cacciatora and the aptly named Busy Woman's Roast Chicken. I've made Pot Roast



and then Hamburger Soup.

Last week, I made Corned Beef and Cabbage



And tonight, I came home to the lovely smell of Stuffed Cabbage Rolls.

This is one of my often made recipes from this cookbook. What is even better is the recipe for the stuffing mix always makes enough extra that I can make a little meat loaf to put in the freezer and save for the next time I don't have time to make a good meal for myself.



That is the best part about cooking with the crock pot, lots of left overs for lunch the next day!

Thanks Lisa for picking such a perfect theme for me this month! Without your theme, I would have been eating M&M's and pretzels out of the vending machine noon and night!

Keep your eye out on Lisa's blog La Mia Cucina for a round-up later this week. If you want to participate in this month's Weekend Cookbook Challenge, you have one more day to get your entry in to Lisa.


Swedish Cabbage Rolls
From Mable Hoffman's Crockery Cookery

12 large cabbage leaves
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1lb lean ground beef (I used 97% fat free ground sirloin)
1 cup cooked rice
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (I used salt free)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Immerse cabbage leaves in large kettle of boiling water for about 3 minutes or until limp; drain. Combine egg, milk, onion, salt, pepper, beef and cooked rice. Place about 1/4 cup meat mixture in center of each leaf; fold in sides and roll ends over meat. Place in slow cooker. Combine tomato sauce with brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours. Makes 6 servings of two rolls each.