A visit to the cabbage patch and other lessons in the kitchen

Attempted this:  Cabbage with Tomatoes, Bulgur and Chickpeas.

This cooking lesson conquers the skill of shredding cabbage.  I'm also adding red wine vinegar to my cabinet and chopping dill.  Never done any of this. V. excited.

The health benefits of cabbage are well-documented here.  Is it the sexiest veg?  No but if you're going for sexy, I would go for red cabbage.  It's pretty when it's steamed.

I tend to focus on recipes that are a) healthy and b) if they say, "keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator," I'm sold.  I also noticed that the entire recipe seems to use ONE skillet and not tons of pots, etc. Yesssssss!  I promise I'm a girl and not a frat boy.  I just like easy...especially being a newbie, strapped for time and not wanting to gain a thousand pounds.  Have to learn the basics, first!

Most of the recipes I do come from the amazingly, talented and healthy Martha R. Shulman's Recipes for Health from The New York Times.

First, the onion.  There is ALWAYS an onion.  Apparently, it brings flavor.  There are times, right before I reach for an onion in the produce section, that I think...could I just use onion powder?  No.  Or, so I am told.

Without fail: every new onion is like I've never met an onion before.  I cannot remember how to dice it so I have to visit my favourite, "How to slice an onion" video.

Ok, done.  And, I have NEVER had tears while slicing an onion.  Only when slicing my finger.  Which just happened.

Moving on!

Cabbage time!

Things like Cabbage Patch Kids continue to pop in my mind.  Not the same thing as a head of cabbage but the memories of them are fond...I digress.

Again, with the video.  I had to watch it a few times and press pause...it went way to fast.  But, in case you don't know how to shred cabbage like yours truly, thank goodness for the internet and the people that post these videos!

Added the tomatoes, red wine vinegar and sug..sugar?  Whatever, in it goes.

Now, I'm supposed to let it sit and simmer for 15 minutes and put a cover on the skillet.

Everything else is added in -- into one skillet, mind you.

<<<time is passing before your eyes>>>

Dill is the last venture into the unknown for this time around.  Sure, I know what dill looks like when it's in a dish but as I gaze at the array of glistening stalks of various vegetables...my eyes become completely unfocused due to being overwhelmed by not knowing what the hell I'm supposed to be looking for.

Another lesson learned:  when you can't find something, ask.  I know some people have issues with asking but to save time (especially when you have no idea what you are looking for) and going around the produce section three times...which I had already done in my search...I asked the helpful produce team member.  He had to go in the back and rustle some up.




This, my friends, is dill! And, I hope some of these pictures are also a sign that it's time for me to upgrade my iPhone.  These pictures look...less than stellar.

And, done!  I don't like to take pictures of food because I can barely take pictures of people.  Just trust me, it turned out great and I have lunch/dinner tackled for a few nights...and it's healthy so that when I do go out, I can eat less cautiously.

Next up -- dessert!  An easy one but whenever I make cookies -- they always turn up soggy.  I'm making Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies for an easy gift for my father on his birthday.  Shhh, don't tell.  Let's hope they aren't soggy!  And, yes, I'll get him a real gift, too.