Cabbage People

We love cabbage. There I said it. We are some cabbage lovin' people. We can't get enough of the stuff. In fact, we love it so much I was able to do an entire collection of cabbage recipes for my friends over at Community Table. (You can find that awesome round up here.)

I do so many things with it, and I'm still always on the lookout for more. It's one of the cheapest veggies in the produce section, and a little goes a long way, so that's nice for our budge too.

This came about because in February, in the Midwest, soup is a must. Well, normally, but we're experiencing some crazy warm, spring-like temps lately. Seriously, it was 70 last week. I was in flip flops. IN FEBRUARY! But, Mother Nature didn't let us forget about winter, because the following day? Yeah, it was 25 with howling wind and snow. Welcome to Indiana. Where you can experience all 4 seasons in 24 hours!

Even with the warmer weather, my brain is still in soup mode though. This one is a great "set it and forget it" meal. You can literally put it on before you leave in the morning, and come home to supper. Add some crusty bread and you're done. Plus, it has a little kick to it that will wake up your tired taste buds.

With Lent beginning this week, this would be a great meat-free option as well. Just swap out the beef broth for veggie and you're good to go.

If you love cabbage as much as we do, this will definitely become a favorite in your house. If you're looking for a new soup recipe, this works for that too. Whatever reason you've got for trying it, you, and your tummy, will be glad you did! 

Slow Cooker Fiesta Cabbage Soup

1 medium head cabbage, chopped

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10 oz.) can Rotel 

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cheddar cheese soup, undiluted

1 (32 oz.) box beef broth

1 (15 oz.) can northern beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried Parsley, for garnish

Combine all ingredients, except parsley in slow cooker. Cook on LOW 7-8 hours. Garnish with parsley.

Recipe Adapted from Southern Lady Cooks

Gnocchi... "Gnot" So Hard

Ha! Did you like that play on words there? I couldn't help myself. I guess a good place to start with this post is to ask "Have you had gnocchi before?" And for those of you shaking your heads "no" right now, I will explain.

Gnocchi (pronounced NO-KEY), are soft dough dumplings, usually made from potato, from Italy. Now, you know I am a sucker for all Italian food, so it shouldn't come as a shock that the first time I tried gnocchi I was instantly hooked.

Yes, you can make gnocchi from scratch, at home, but like so many other things in today's world there are time saving options in your regular grocery store. Something you used to have to go to a specialty store for, is on the shelf, next to the other dry pastas. (A side note though--if you have leftover mashed potatoes, especially at the holiday times, this is a great use for them!)

I even found my packages at Aldi, so if they have them, I would think most other stores would too! The ones I used were pre-cooked, so all I had to do was cook them until they were tender. But don't expect them to by hard like a dry pasta. Even though they are already cooked, they are still soft and dumpling like.

I love the flavor combo of white beans and spinach; and they make this an extra hearty dish. This is rustic food perfect to come home too after a long, maybe chilly, fall day when all you want is a meal that will satisfy you without a lot of prep work.

If you've never tried gnocchi at home, I encourage you to. After all, this was my first time making them in my kitchen, and look how fantastic they turned out!

Gnocchi with Spinach & Beans

 2 (16 oz.) packages potato gnocchi, cooked according to package directions

2 (14 oz.) cans Italian diced tomatoes, with juice

2 (14 oz.) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 (6oz.) bag fresh spinach

3 TBS butter

1 small white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet heat 2 TBS butter over medium high heat. Add butter, onion and garlic. Stir and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add 1 TBS butter and gnocchi. Saute until browned on all sides, another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, beans and spinach. Stir to combine. (You might have to add the spinach in batches) Cook until spinach is tender and cooked down. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheeses, cover and remove from heat, sitting for about 5 minutes until cheese has melted. 

Recipe Inspired by Taste of Home

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Disclaimer: As a Field Editor for Taste of Home, I share this recipe as a volunteer, not a paid employee.