2 lbs ground beef
2 lbs ground mild Italian sausage
8 oz (1 cup) chopped onion
1/4 cup Parmesan grated cheese
1 tsp hot sauce (Texas Pete tonight)
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 Tb dried oregano
1 Tb Italian seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk (not displayed, but works well to bind)
1 large head cabbage
Sauce as needed (see below in recipe)

Add meat to large bowl.

Add all other ingredients, other than cabbage and sauce, to meat.

Mix well and place in refrigerator to set up.

SAUCE

2 35oz cans Italian peeled whole tomatoes
1 Tb chopped garlic
2 Tb granulated sugar
3 Tb fresh chopped basil
2 Tb fresh chopped oregano
2 8oz containers baby bella mushrooms
1 12oz can tomato paste
Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

In a blender, add each can of whole tomatoes, one at a time, and blend well until smooth. Add to a large pot.

Add garlic, chopped basil, chopped oregano and sugar to tomatoes in pot and stir well. Bring sauce to a hard simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low.

Melt a half stick of butter and a tsp of olive oil in a skillet. Sauté mushrooms until soft. Add to sauce in pot.

Let sauce simmer on low while preparing cabbage rolls.

Preheat oven to 350.

Separate cabbage leaves from head of cabbage. Par boil in slated water 5-7 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse well in cold water.

In a large casserole dish, spoon out enough sauce to coat the bottom. Spoon out meat mixture and form a meatball in hands. Place in each cabbage leaf and roll up. Press edges on each side downward.

Place each formed formed leaf into casserole.

Cover with more sauce, enough to cover cabbage rolls. Sprinkle dried Italian seasoning (optional) over top. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour in oven. Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta.

MEATBALLS (optional)

With the leftover meat and sauce, you may freeze for another occasion or make meatballs as I did. I formed meatballs and placed in the same skillet used for mushrooms and tomato paste. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour remaining sauce over meatballs. Bake an additional 30 minutes.

Y’all Enjoy!

Published by Two Cousins and a Skillet

Grew up in Clearwater, Florida. Graduated from Clearwater High School. Work for Pinellas County Schools as a technology technician. View all posts by Two Cousins and a Skillet