Autumn Stuffed Cabbage

Don’t wait until autumn—these braised, stuffed cabbage leaves will add variety to your menu year-round.

1 head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabbage
½ pound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lean ground beef
½ pound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ground turkey
1 small . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Onion, minced
1 slice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stale whole wheat bread, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)
¼ cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Water
1/8 teaspoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Freshly ground black pepper
1 16-ounce can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whole tomatoes
1 small . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Onion, sliced
1 cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Water
1 medium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carrot, sliced
1 tablespoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lemon juice
2 tablespoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cornstarch

Preparation:

• Rinse and core the cabbage. Carefully remove 10 outer leaves and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with boiling water. Simmer 5 minutes.

• Remove and drain cooked cabbage leaves on paper toweling.

• Shred ½ cup raw cabbage and set aside.

• Brown ground beef and turkey and the minced onion in medium skillet. Drain fat.

• Place the drained meat mixture, bread crumbs, water, and pepper in medium mixing bowl.

• Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid, and add ½ cup tomato juice from can to meat mixture. Mix well; then place ¼ cup filling on each parboiled, drained cabbage leaf. Roll up and secure with toothpick.

• Place folded side down in skillet.

• Add tomatoes, water, ½ cup shredded cabbage, sliced onion and carrot.

• Cover and simmer about 1 hour (or until cabbage is tender), basting occasionally.

• Remove cabbage rolls to serving platter, keep warm.

• Mix lemon juice, brown sugar, and cornstarch together in small bowl.

• Add to vegetables and liquid in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and clear. Serve over cabbage rolls.

Makes: 5 servings, 2 rolls each

Beef and Bean Chili

Real Southwest cooking need not be too hot to swallow. Try this version for plenty of flavor.

Ingredients:

2 pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lean stew beef, cut in 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vegetable oil
2 cups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Water
2 cloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garlic, minced
1 large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flour
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Green pepper, chopped
2 pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chili powder
1 tablespoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oregano
1 teaspoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cumin
2 cups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Kidney beans, cooked without salt
(If using canned beans, drain and rinse well)

Preparation:

• Brown meat in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add water. Simmer covered 1 hour.

• Heat remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in a small skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook over low heat until onion is softened. Add to meat mixture.

• Add flour to meat and cook for 2 minutes. Add green pepper, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cooked beans to meat. Simmer 1- ½ hours. Taste for seasoning.

Makes: 9 Servings

Baked Pork Chops

Spicy and moist—the secret of these chops is in the coating.

Ingredients:

6 lean, ½-inch thick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Center-cut pork chops
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Egg white
1 cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaporated skim milk
¾ cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cornflake crumbs
¼ cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hot 'n' spicy seasoning (see below)
½ teaspoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salt; Nonstick spray coating

Preparation:

• Trim all fat from chops

• Beat egg white with evaporated milk. Place chops in milk mixture; let stand for 5 minutes, turning chops once.

• Meanwhile, mix together cornflake crumbs, bread crumbs, hot 'n' spicy seasoning, and salt.

• Remove chops from milk mixture. Coat thoroughly with crumb mixture.

• Spray a 13" x 9" baking pan with nonstick spray coating.

• Place chops in pan and bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.

• Turn chops and bake 15 minutes longer or until no pink remains.

• Note: If desired, substitute skinless boneless chicken, turkey parts, or fish for pork

• chops and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes: 6 servings

Hot 'N' Spicy Seasoning

This’ll spice up your baked pork chops—and other dishes too.

Ingredients:

¼ cup . . . . . . . . . . . . Paprika
1 teaspoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . Black pepper
2 tablespoons . . . . . . Dried oregano, crushed
½ teaspoon . . . . . Red (cayenne) pepper
2 teaspoons . . . . . . . Chili powder
½ teaspoon . . . . . Dry mustard

Preparation: Mix together all ingredients. Store in airtight container.

Makes: about 1/3 cup

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes with a whole new flavoring—a marriage made in heaven.

Ingredients:

1 pound (about 2 large) . . . . . . . . . . Potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Skim milk
2 large. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .White pepper

Preparation:

• Cook potatoes, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Drain and recover.

• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, cook garlic in milk until garlic is soft, about 30 minutes.

• Add milk-garlic mixture and white pepper to potatoes. Beat with a electric mixer on low speed or mash with a potato masher until smooth.

Microwave Directions:

• Scrub potatoes, pat dry, and prick with a fork. On a plate, cook potatoes, uncovered, on 100% (high) power until tender (about 12 minutes), turning potatoes over once. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel and quarter.

• Meanwhile, in a 4-cup glass measuring cup, combine milk and garlic. Cook, uncovered, on 50% (medium) power until garlic is soft (about 4 minutes).

• Continue as directed above.

Makes: 4 servings

Green-Bean Saute

Fresh green beans cooked lightly and tossed with parsley.

Ingredients:

1 pound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fresh green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corn oil
1 large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fresh parsley, minced

• Steam or cook green beans in boiling water to cover for 10-12 minutes, or until barely fork tender. Drain well.

• Heat oil in large skillet. Sauté onion until golden.

• Stir in green beans, and pepper. Heat through.

• Toss with parsley before serving.

Apple Coffee Cake

Chunks of tart apples and heaps of raisins and pecans make this cake sublime. Ingredients:

5 cups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tart apples, finely chopped
1 cup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sugar
1 cup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dark raisins
½ cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pecans, chopped
¼ cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corn oil
2 teaspoons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vanilla
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Egg, beaten 2-1/2 cups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sifted all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baking soda
2 teaspoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ground cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Lightly oil a 13" x 9" x 2" pan.

• In large mixing bowl, combine apples with sugar, raisins, and pecans; mix well. Let stand 30 minutes.

• Stir in oil, vanilla, and egg.

• Sift together flour, soda, and cinnamon; stir into apple mixture about a third at a time, just enough to moisten dry ingredients.

• Turn batter into pan. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool cake slightly before serving.

These heart health recipes are from "Down Home Healthy, Family Recipes of Black American Chefs," developed by the National Cancer Institute, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and Project Lean of the American Dietetic Association. To order the booklet, see section 4.