Ebay lessons and Cabbage.

It's been a week of education for Simply B in the fine art of using Ebay to purchase stuff.  I'm a relative newby, just mainly buying stuff outright and not bidding on it.  But this week I decided to bid on Castillian plates to add to the 2 that were given to me from my mom's kitchen.   And I learned a vital lesson.   Once you place a bid on an Ebay item, you may well win that bid.  And once you win that bid....well....you pay for the item and it's yours.  It's a contract of sorts.  I guess I thought I'd win the bid then be able to decide if I really wanted them.  So far I have 10 Castillian plates.  There may be more on the way, who knows.  I kind of got carried away once the bidding started.  Wow.  No biggie.  I guess.  Haven't checked our bank account balance.  Perhaps I should.  😅

So anyway, today I find myself surrounded by dinner plates that remind me of my sweet mom.  Submerged in nostalgia thanks to an Ebay oops.  

For several years of our early married life we lived next door to my mom.  From the time our children were born until they were 9 and 6, we were neighbors. Mom was our babysitter while I worked at the local hospital, and it was just the best set up ever. Win/win for all of us. The girls formed a really close bond with Mom, and I know it was a blessing for  Mom to have them there.  She was widowed at 57 and I think my girls gave her a lot of needed love and laughter.  And she reciprocated.  

Those years were such a treasure.  It was a delight to live next door to her.  

Often I'd hear the phone ring and answer it to hear Mom say something like "You just have to come over here and taste this dish I made for my supper".  I didn't really have to ask the ingredients because always it was some sort of vegetable dish.   That woman loved her veggies.  One of her favorite sandwiches was two pieces of buttered bread with sliced onions between.  Yeah, I can't embrace that one, not at all.   

I'll admit that during my formative years, I wasn't always on the same page as my mom when it came to her taste in food.  Turnips, celery, radishes, cucumbers, onions.... just to name a few.  She really never met a vegetable she didn't like.  Kind of like I am with, uh, cookies.  

Mom also loved cabbage.  Dad did not love cabbage.  Dad did not even like cabbage. Let's get to the point, Dad detested cabbage.  Mom loved to just boil up wedges of cabbage and then top it with  butter and salt/pepper.  On days she did this, Dad would walk in the door, breathe in the scent of cooked cabbage, and say "Who died in here? Did someone get sick?".  Such a tender family moment.  😁


My taste buds have morphed over the years and I now find myself loving vegetables of all sorts.  As well as, uh, cookies.  

Cabbage and I have kissed and made up.  Last year sometime I came across a recipe on Pinterest for Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls.  Tweaked it a little and it has become a favorite for me and the hubby.  Seriously, he begs me to make it!!  So easy, so quick, and the leftovers are fabulous.  And, bonus, it's kind of healthy-ish.  It's kind of like comfort food and perfect for cold winter evenings.  So I thought I'd share it with you:

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

1 pound ground beef

1 pound sausage (like Jimmy Dean's regular) (or just use all ground beef if you like) (but it's tastier with sausage)

1 large onion, chopped

2 - 4 cloves of garlic, minced (mmmm good, you can never have too much garlic)

1 bag of shredded cole slaw mix (the kind with carrots in it) (16 oz, I think)

2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes

1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce

1/2 cup beef broth, or chicken broth, or veggie broth. (can add more if desired)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (or celery salt, paprika) (or any seasoning salt type stuff you might have on hand)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Heat a Dutch oven or a large skillet.  Brown the beef and sausage together, with the garlic and onion added.  Drain the grease.  Add the cole slaw mix, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, seasonings.  Bring it to a boil.  Put a lid on it and let it simmer 30 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked to suit you.  

I serve it over rice.  Not necessary to do so, but I like it that way.  

And it's really a meal in one pan.  Can't beat that!  Maybe just add, uh,  cookies for dessert and you're good to go.  

One recipe may or may not make 10 Castillian plates worth of food.  But I am so excited for my next big family meal to use these new treasures.  Who knows, there may be more plates by then.  Party at B's!!