What's Cooking Wednesday - Cabbage Soup

Well what's a party without food? Now granted it's not traditional party food per se, but what can I tell you, I ate all the Smartfood while watching Iron Chef America, which had a Canadian challenger tonight. So woohoo, go us! Welcome to all the Ultimate Blog Party goers who have stumbled in, pull up a chair and dish yourself up a bowl of cabbage soup. Next time I'll have chips, I promise.

So I've been on a real soup kick lately. I'm not exactly sure what's up with that. I've never really made soup before or really had the desire too. Turns out it's pretty easy. Who knew? This soup is my Mom's recipe and it's always been one of my favourites, but surprisingly enough I've never made it myself. I don't think I've ever even helped her make it, so I had to call her up and ask for the recipe.



Mom's Cabbage Soup

2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium sized head of cabbage, chopped
1 large can tomato juice
cayenne pepper to taste

In a large pot brown ground beef and onions on medium heat until beef is no longer pink. Add chopped cabbage and enough water to cover cabbage in pot. Bring to a boil. Add tomato juice and cayenne pepper and simmer until cabbage is cooked through.

Recipe Notes: I have found in my recent soup making experience, and this applies to chili as well, that it is best to make the soup the day before you want to eat it. Let it rest in the fridge over night and reheat and serve the following day. Extra bonus any fat in the soup forms a nice hard film at the surface, very easy to dispose of. Well I didn't make any changes because it's my Mom's recipe and hey you just don't do that with Mom's recipe. Well you can but I wouldn't recommend blogging about it afterwards. Have we learned nothing from Dooce? What I can tell you is what I've heard about this soup. You know, the word on the street. Some people have been so bold as to add a grated carrot or two, some celery, can of stewed tomatoes and/or have served it with a dollop of sour cream which make it vaguely reminiscent of borscht, one Polish dish I never have acquired a taste for. That and kielbasa.

So how was my first attempt making kapusta (that would be Polish for cabbage)? Well I'm not exactly sure, you see for the second time this winter I find my sinuses packed full of cement or possibly concrete, it's hard to tell. So my ability to taste is somewhat impaired. Mike assured me it tasted just like Mom's, but I thought it might be a bit watery. I may have had my water to tomato juice ratio off because my life-long cook of a mother neglected to give me an actual measurement. Also, and this is entirely Mike's fault, I used no name tomato juice because that's what he brought me home. Now that part, well let's just keep that between us because if my Mom found out... oh boy. Remember this is the same woman who had vapours because I had no name baking powder in my house, oh and artificial vanilla. I really hope it tasted okay because I sent a big bowl of it home with Kaffy today.

Still hungry?

Risotto with Pancetta and Peas at bleeding espresso...

Vegetable Lasagna at Virtually There

Ribs over at Delores' Space

Sausage, onions and peppers on a bun at Nose in Ear

Want to play along? It's easy! Post a recipe and pictures on Wednesday. Don't forget to link back here and let me know you've played so I can add you to the list.

Just a little bit extra for Lynn.

Well we finally got around to booking an appointment for the girls to get their pictures taken. They go on Saturday at 9 am and today at 3 pm this happened:



Hello black eye. Is there any way you think you could be cleared out of here by Saturday morning about 8:30? Hmmm? Could ya? 'Cause that would really help me out.

Thanks, Maya's Mom.

Coffee table meet face. Face meet coffee table. So yeah a shiner for picture day. Mike wants to cancel the appointment, but I say go ahead. It's not really all that bad. Actually it's a fairly small and light coloured bruise. I'm pretty certain the swelling will have gone down my then.