Galumpki and Fried Rice, an unlikely couple!

I am the type of person that needs everything to turn out perfectly....the first time, so finding recipes to make the dinners I wanted MY WAY was found to be a difficult task.  So much that my Cabbage Roll dinner ended up being Pasta with meat sauce just so I could give myself another day to find a "perfect" recipe. However, I have learned over my past 2 dinners that, sometimes you have to adapt, compromise and just let go.  It all turns out pretty tasty in the end.

Last week I promised my Cabbage Roll Recipe (Galumpkis), another favorite thanks to Mom.  You really can't make these wrong.  I have done it in the crockpot, in the pressure cooker and in the oven.  My favorite recipe is in the oven, its the only place I can make them where they don't burn! LOL!

(Yes, this recipe is one of my tasty compromises.)

Ingredients:
1-2 cans of condensed tomato soup
1 head of green cabbage
2 lbs of extra lean ground beef (sirloin)
1 medium onion (I like to use onion powder)
3/4 cup of instant cooked rice
1 TBS Worcestershire
1 egg
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Boil cabbage for a few minutes to help loosen leaves.
In a large bowl, combine by hand, ground beef, onion, salt, pepper, rice, Worcestershire and egg.
You can also add 2 TBS of the tomato soup.
Make large meat balls with the mixture and place on top of a cabbage leaf.  Roll by tucking sides and place in baking dish with a cover.  Continue until all meat mixture has been rolled in cabbage.  Cover.  Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve alone or with mashed potatoes and green beans.  Enjoy!

Next, tonight's simple dinner was part home made and part frozen.  That would be Egg Fried Rice.

Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked rice (cooked and cooled) approximately 4 cups cooked.
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional) and 1 TBS vegetable oil
1 medium carrot shredded
2-3 green onions (tip: use kitchen scissors to cut these quickly)
1 clove of garlic pressed (use more for more flavor)
Frozen green beans (1-2 handfuls)
1 egg
3 TBS Soy Sauce

Directions:
Heat oils in wok or heavy frying pan, add green onion, carrots, garlic and green beans.  Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium high heat, add cooked rice, stir, add soy sauce, stir constantly while cooking for 3-4 minutes until rice starts to brown and soak in the soy sauce.  Scramble egg in a small bowl.  Push all rice to the sides of the pan, leaving an open space in the middle of the pan, drizzle a little vegetable oil.  Add egg and cook while scrambling.  Once egg is cooked mix into the rice.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve with Market Day Mini Egg Rolls and chopsticks.

Enjoy!