Thai Cabbage Wraps

So the whole time I'm making this, I'm thinking that I'm going to have to add a little more sauce than just the marinade.  I didn't think there was anyway that the little bit of sauce that you mix through out the ground beef would ever be enough to give it a good flavor kick.  But, man was I wrong.  I cooked the beef through, then decided to give er a taste to see what else it was going to need.  Bwamo!!  Full flavor in my mouth!  I'm in love with this recipe.


What you'll need:


1 package ground beef (around a pound.  I used the super lean stuff)
1 head green cabbage
1 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil


For the marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1/2 of a lime juiced or about 1 tablespoon 
1 jalapeno  chopped
2 cloves garlic minced


Mix everything together for the marinade and add ground beef.  Using your hands, mix the marinade and the beef together until it is well combined.  Refrigerate for AT LEAST one hour, 2+ is better.


Cook beef.  Do not drain excess liquid, keep cooking until liquid has just about reduced out.  While beef is cooking, add olive oil, brown sugar and purple onions to a small pan and saute over medium low heat until onions are very soft.   When liquid in beef is almost gone, add caramelized onions and bell pepper to pan.  Cook for about another 10 minutes or until peppers are soft.  


By the base of the cabbage head, cut leaves, one or two at a time at the thickest part where they attach to the core.  Gently remove the leaves peeling them fro the base to the top.  


Spoon beef mixture into cabbage leaves. 

After my surprise of how tasty this was, even without a lot of excess sauce, now I'm thinking of what else you could do with this tasty beef.  I'm thinking burgers with grilled pineapple.  Enjoy!

Corned Beef and Cabbage Grilled Pizza

Oh yes.  So good.  It was our Easter dinner.  More of a St. Patty's day thing, but I had 2 corned beefs in the freeze and no ham, so we went with it.  I have never made pizza dough before, and certainly never grilled it.  But all turned out better than I could have expected!

What you'll need:

1 cup mozzarella
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

For the Corned beef:  (Cook however you'd like, this is how I make mine)
1 corned beef (1 cup cooked for the pizza)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pickling spice (or just use the packet that comes the the meat)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cracked pepper

Mix everything together and pour over the top of the meat.  Turn your crock pot on high and let cook for 5 hours.  Once done, remove and let rest until cool enough handle.  I like to remove all fat from the meat at this point, and scrape off most of the pickling spice.  Shred up about a cup of the meat for the pizza and freeze or put the remaining of the meat in the fridge. You will have lots of left overs.

Cabbage and Potatoes

1 medium yellow potato (baseball-ish size, maybe a little smaller)

1/2 cup vinegar (cider or white, I used white)

1/2 +1/4 cup water

1/4 head cabbage

2 tablespoon olive oil divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons pepper (fresh cracked is always best!)

Wash and slice potato in about 1/8 inch rounds.  Add 1/2 cup water and vinegar into a small pan and bring to a boil.  Add potatoes and turn down to a simmer.  Let simmer for 15 minutes.  Drain water/vinegar and toss in 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Heat oven to 350.  Lay potatoes onto a cookie sheet (I covered mine with tin foil).  Make sure they are well oiled so they won't stick.  Bake for 20 minutes flipping half way.  The smaller pieces from the sides might get a little too crispy, just eat those.  You'll want the bigger rounds for the pizza. Set aside

Slice cabbage into thick slices then cut in half.  Heat other tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add cabbage, salt and pepper and saute until starting to look translucent.  Add 1/4 cup water, reduce heat to low and cover.  Let cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.  Water should be evaporated and cabbage should be very tender.

For the dough
1 packet dry active yeast or 1 1/2 tablespoons
1 cup warm water
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (oh yes!)

In a larger bowl stir together sugar and warm water and sprinkle yeast over top.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Add oil, salt, vinegar and 2 cups of the flour and mix until well combined and not lumpy.  Add remaining 2 cups flour and begin to kneed.  It will seem too dry, but just keep working it with your hands.  Remove from bowl and kneed on the counter for about 2 minutes.  Place dough ball into a greased bowl (I just used olive oil cooking spray) and cover.  Allow to rise for 90 minutes.  Dough will double in size.  Once doubled, punch center (best part!). Divide into 3 parts and form into balls. If you want a larger pizza divide into 2.  Roll and stretch dough into desired thickness.  Mine was about 10".  You can wrap the dough in cling wrap and freeze the extra for another day.

OK finally, for your pizza.  Heat your bbq on high until grill is nice and hot.  You will want all pizza toppings ready at the bbq.  Brush one side of dough  with olive oil and place oil side down on hot grill.  Turn heat down slightly and grill pizza, checking about every minute and rotate once until nice brown spots start to appear and dough starts to puff.  Oil the top side and flip.  Turn off grill on one side if you can or move pizza is it slightly out of the heat.  Top with mozzarella, cabbage, potato, meat then monterey jack cheese.  Close lid and allow cheese to melt.  Keep your eye on crust.  If cheese is melted and dough isn't quite done enough, move back onto heat for another minute. Should take about 3 minutes on each side.  Be sure to keep checking because you don't want burnt crust!!!

Getting puffy.

I put cheese down first, directions say to put half on top, which would be better.

"Drop something already!!"

It was such a beautiful day!  This is our back yard, cleaned up for once from 1000 dog toys!

DONE!

Crust was wonderful.  It was really comparable to the fire grilled pizzas you get at restaurants.  We are already planning what to make with the other 2 dough balls in the freezer!!  If you make this, please invite me over for dinner! Enjoy!