Joann's Danish Cabbage

Here we are. . .It's holiday season once again! This is a much requested recipe. I've posted it here many times, but today I'm making more than usual, so I'm putting it here again, in case you want to serve this to a bigger group.

2-1/2# purple cabbage

6T butter

2/3c sugar

2/3c white vinegar

1t salt 

1/2t fresh ground black pepper

Quarter or 'eighth' each cabbage, then slice in 1/8"-1/4" slices. Combine these ingredients in a 4 quart pot, cover and put on low heat. As it heats up, stir gently to melt the butter and sugar, then simmer gently 2-3 hours.

At the end, stir in 1/3c jelly. The jelly is the only thing I ever vary in this recipe. The original calls for current jelly, but that has a strong metallic taste to me. In the past I've used rosehip preserves, orange marmalade, elderberry jelly, apple jelly. . .

Today I have a choice between raspberry-jalapeño, fig, or Forest Berry Preserves that I found in an Italian market. I think those Italian Forest Berries will win out with their awesome fruity flavors! It's very seedy though so I'll heat the jam to melt it and strain out the seeds, using 1/3c of the clear jelly that will result.

This is best, when made the day before, then heated just before serving. Once you try this recipe you'll want it every time you make lamb, pork, chicken or turkey.

Happy Holidays Everyone 😃🎄🥰

A Quick Cucumber-Tomato Salad

This is another...ongoing...modification of my wonderful Mother-In-Law's amazing Cucumber Tomato Salad, which was SO good, yet not very healthy.  It was WAY too sweet with a cup of sugar, and I think a cup of vegetable oil and also a big amount of white vinegar. . .I'm always on a quest to recreate, yet perfect, what the feel and love from this recipe impressed upon me. I've healthied-it-up a bit with the following modifications. . .

3T± of turbinado sugar

1-1/2c white vinegar

~ white Balsamic might also be good

1/2c cold fresh water

2T± whole cloves

2-3 bay leaves

3/4c single source EVOO

several tablespoons of dry dill

lots of fresh ground black pepper

1-2 cloves finely minced garlic

1 small sliced onion

1-2T dry tarragon

Boil all this for a few minutes, stirring to melt the sugar and hydrate the spices. Pour it over sliced mini English cucumbers and chopped, peeled ripe tomatoes. Toss and let stand for an hour or so before serving. Chill if you'd like it cold.

Any dressing left can be strained and refrigerated for Future Marinated Vegetable Adventures. .😉. .Lin