Anyone who knows about Stuffed Cabbage will understand what Unstuffed Cabbage is all about. There are several ways to fix Stuffed Cabbage but only one way to do Unstuffed Cabbage. The great thing about this recipe is that it is easy to prepare. There is no boiling the cabbage, separating the leaves and then filling each one with a ground beef and rice mixture. Nope. This one is easier. Just shred or chop the cabbage and start in.

We had some veggies given to us this week. Among the lot was a huge head of cabbage. I usually make Chow Chow when I receive such a windfall, but I have been hungry for the flavor of Stuffed Cabbage lately, so Unstuffed Cabbage it is.

That huge head of cabbage would make more than a double batch. There was parboiled cabbage left over. It will go in the freezer to make Cheese Scalloped Cabbage at a future date. The double recipe is more than I can eat. Anne is not a cabbage fan, but it won't go to waste. We will share two small casseroles, one with shut-in friends at church and the other with the lady who gave us the cabbage.

What do you do when you have more of a special dish than you can eat in a few days? Some folks are in poor health and unable to fix more than basic dishes for themselves. A home cooked casserole or dessert is a gift of love. I remember the time I was down after a detached retina surgery and unable to fix Thanksgiving Dinner. I couldn't even sweep the floor, so cooking was out of the question. A good friend of ours, Patty Irwin, showed up at our door with a bushel basket of food. She hauled a complete dinner in and set it on the table. Now, that was a friend when we were in need. I remember it well. I try to pay the gift forward by helping others in a like manner.

UNSTUFFED CABBAGE

1/2 large head cabbage
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked instant rice
2 cans tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup water
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Slice cabbage into narrow shreds or coarsely chop it. Place in large saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Cover. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook 10 minutes. Drain cabbage in colander. Set cabbage aside. Meanwhile, in a skillet, crumble and cook ground beef with onion until it has lost its pink color. Drain. Add instant rice. In another saucepan place tomato soup and 1 cup water. Bring to boil over medium heat. Place cooked cabbage in bottom of small roaster or large casserole. Spoon combined meat and rice mixture over cabbage. Then cover with hot soup. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour at 350 F. Uncover. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer until nicely browned. Remove from oven. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy.