While I’m visiting my in-laws in Taiwan with my family, I’ve asked my long time blogger friends to blog-sit for me like asking a good friend to house sit when you go on vacation. They have prepared wonderful holiday recipes for Just One Cookbook readers so I hope you will enjoy reading their recipes. My blog sitter today is Sandra of Sandra’s Easy Cooking.
Sandra is originally from Southeastern Europe, country formerly called Yugoslavia and she moved to the US about the same time I did. As she’s a mom and a fellow food blogger, we got to know each other very quickly with our common background. I even asked her to be my “mentor” because she was always helping me with all kinds of questions I had when I first joined Foodbuzz, an online food community. I want to thank you, Sandra, if I may use this opportunity to thank you for everything you have done to guide me in the blogging world.
Her site, Sandra’s Easy Cooking, features easy and healthy meals that all of us can appreciate to live healthy life. You will be surprised that some of the dishes she creates are so easy that you would read the recipe again to see if you have possibly missed something. Her food photography guarantees that her meals are very appetizing and her meal presentation looks like it came from 4 star restaurants. I used to write numerous comments about how colorful her dishes are, until I figured she was probably tired of reading the same comments from me. But to me it is always so joyful to see such beautiful colors on a plate because the Japanese believe having multiple colors on a plate means there are different nutrients for the meal.
I hope you will enjoy getting to know Sandra if you haven’t known her and learn to cook easy, healthy and delicious looking meals! You can also visit her online at Twitter and Facebook, and purchase her cookbook “Sandra’s Easy Cooking: Savoring the Sweet Moments.” Please welcome Sandra with her mouthwatering holiday meal.
Welcome Sandra! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am mom of three kids, wife of a wonderful and funny husband, friend and foodie. I love art, photography, writing and cooking!
Please tell us a little bit about your blog.
On my blog you can find any cuisine and dishes that are not time consuming. I said that my meals are affordable because if you go out in a restaurant for a meal you will pay good amount of money for one family of 5, and if you cook home it takes not even half of that, and of course the meal is home-cooked, made with love and care! My vision for every meal is to balance the whole plate!
How do you feel about your own food blogging experience so far?
I love blogging, and as much as it takes time to publish one post it’s also so much fun. I met online so much good people, no they are incredible people, that my experience is fantastic. I can thank you and many for support and love that you all giving me!
If you can give one advice to a new food blogger, what would it be?
Study, follow and pay attention what other successful bloggers do. If you want to make yourself stand up be kind, and of course if you are food blogger look for the angle to see how your photo will look, because photos are very important. Also if you feel like blogging became to much and overwhelming, take a break and continue when you can!
What would you advise to a new cook or someone who wants to start cooking at home more?
Let’s put it this way..it’s easy turn on the car and take yourself to a nice cozy restaurant..right? However the beauty of home-cooked meal is something that you can’t compare to the restaurant, no matter who is cooking behind those walls. Honestly you can take 1 hour to cook a meal, or 30 minutes but when your family and friends taste it and you see the expression on their face how delicious it is..well, that is priceless!
Thank you Sandra! From here I will let Sandra take over and show us what she prepared. Enjoy!
Hello Just one Cookbook Readers,
I am Sandra from Sandra’s Easy Cooking and while Nami and her family enjoying their Taiwan visit, I will share my recipe with all of you. Got to tell you that I am beyond the words excited to be here at this beautiful food website. For me this is not only an honor, but you should see my smiley cheeks when Nami asked me if I could guest post. I adore her personality and once we start talking way back in March or April, even if we grow up in different parts of the world I noticed that we have so much stuff in-common besides the family and foodie life. She is one of the foodies that I would love to meet and spend the weekend just talking and laughing :)…sigh! Maybe one day when kids get older!!! 🙂
Now let me share something about my recipe. As much as it seems complicated, I have to say it’s not so much…maybe because I grow up eating it, and also I believe the first time when I made it was 12 years ago. Originally you have to make it with already pickled cabbage/or Sauerkraut but not shredded. It is a pickling process that many people in parts of the Balkan or Southeastern Europe prepare few mounts in advance to have it ready for the holiday season. What I am presenting today is a much faster version of pickling but similar to the original and got to say extremely tasty.
Since it is Nami’s blog and as you all know she is doing wonderful step by step instructions I had to do it too, but not very often you will see it on my blog. I admire her that much more because it is really not easy to do those steps to bring the method of food preparation closer to you.
I hope you try it and like what I’ve shared today! Hope your Holidays are happy and cheerful! Stay safe!!!
Thank you Nami for allowing me to share my recipe on your blog. It is an honor and privilege to be even asked by you!!! Thank you again my friend! Have a fun time on your vacation!!!!
Your Friend,
Sandra
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Sour Cabbage Meat Rolls (Sarma)
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- 2 cups vinegar
- ½ cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 ½ Tbsp Vegeta -European spice
- 1 onion (minced or shredded; keep some for later use)
- ½ Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups beef stock/broth
- 1 Tbsp Vegeta -European spice
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cups sauerkraut (shredded)
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 4-6 slices Hickory smoked Bacon
- ½ Tbsp red paprika
- ⅓ cup parsley (minced)
- ½ Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 4 Tbsp tomato sauce
Instructions
- Wash the cabbage and take the middle root by carving it out. Boil the whole cabbage head by putting it in a large pot, pouring over hot boiled water mixed with vinegar and salt. Let it boil again for next 40 minutes or until the cabbage is softer on a touch.
- Once the cabbage is softer on a touch, cover with the lid, turn off the heat and let it sit in a sour and salty hot water for next 30 minutes or until you are ready for the next step.
- In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture by adding ground beef, vegeta, shredded onion, ground black pepper, and at the end rice.
- Now separate the cabbage leaves and cut the thick root on the back of the each leaf because of the easier folding.
- Put cabbage leaf on your palm and add about 1 ½ Tbsp meat mixture (smaller meatball).
- These instructions are important because if you don't roll and wrap cabbage rolls correctly they will open up and meat will get out. Once the wrapping is over go on the next step.
- Boil 2 cups of Beef stock + 3 cups of water with 1 Tbsp Vegeta; set aside.
- In a large pot add a bit of minced onion and olive oil (or any on your hand) and place each roll on the bottom of the pot. If you have meat leftovers, add them on the top. Put shredded sauerkraut, few garlic cloves, then the rest of the cabbage leaves on top. Over the cabbage rolls, put few slices of bacon or any smoked products, sweet paprika, a bit more chopped garlic, parsley, and about ½ Tbsp ground black pepper.
- Now that you layer everything correctly, put it on the stove and slowly pour the beef stock. The liquid needs to go over the cabbage rolls at least an inch. Turn the heat on high until it boils again. Once it's boiled, cover and turn the heat on a medium-low and let it cook for the next 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, mix all-purpose flour with 2 Tbsp of tomato sauce. in a bowl. Combine it well and add about 3 Tbsp of water. Stir until lumps are gone and you are left with smooth and thin texture.
- Turn the heat on high. If you need more water, it is good time to add more and boil before you add roux. Pour the roux little bit at the time, but do not stir, kind of do the moving the pot in a shaky motion just to combine the thin roux with the liquid to make like a thick sauce. If you see the lumps in the pot, use the wooden spoon to mash it. Add 2 more Tbsp of tomato sauce for the color and taste.
- Serve the dish with mashed potatoes because the sauce and creamy mashed potatoes go together perfectly.
A great guest post and interview! That dish looks so comforting and delicious. Perfect when it’s cold outside.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thank you Nami so much..you touched my heart early in the morning! Also thank you for inviting me today to guest post…can’t wait to see your fun photos and Shen’s reviews when guys get back!!!Wishing you best trip!!!xoxo
Those are just gorgeous looking. I could go for some right now as I am STARVING!
Nami–I hope you are having a great week!
Great guest post! I love Sandra’s blog, always great pictures with wonderful recipes 🙂
Sandra, I love sarma (they remind me of my grandma)… great recipe! 🙂
So nice to meet you Sandra. I haven’t had sweet and sour cabbage rolls in a good 20+ years. My aunt use to make them and I loved them. Now I can make them. These look wonderful and the ingredients sound delicious. However I’ve never heard of vegeta – what type of flavor does it have ? Do I need to get it at a specialty food store?
Sandra is a wonderful cook just like nami =) I love the recipe
Another magnificent guest post Nami – it was great reading about Sandra.
🙂 Mandy
What a beautiful and hearty dish. Thank you Nami and Sandra, both of you are pretty awesome!
Great to meet you! You make “sour” sound sweet!
Sandra, your cabbage rolls look fabulous! They are traditional food in so many countries (until now I knew only about Germany, Poland and Hungary) but I didn’t know they were also popular in Balkans. I have never had them with sauerkraut (but I love sauerkraut and have just started to cook it: cold December somehow makes me crave it). I love the idea of the express fermentation! I haven’t had or made cabbage rolls for many years. I must make yours one day (or at least mine).
Congratulations for this wonderful post with beautiful photos (I admire your making-of pictures! I never manage to make these.)
Nami, wonderful choice for a guest post! I really love Sandra’s blog as well. Those cabage meat rolls look really good! My husband loves cabage, but I don’t make it often because it never turns out right. I’m saving this recipe for the next time I want to make cabage for him!
Dear Nami, Sandra
This is a very interesting recipe because apart from soups, I hardly know what to do with cabbage although cold slaws and salads might be obvious.
Also, thanks for letting me know about Min. Nice to know she is back blogging again 🙂
It’s nice to see you hear Sandra! The dish looks really good, I love stuffed cabbage, have had it in so many different versions and loved each one. The step by step pictures helps a lot. Thanks for the post Sandra and Nami 🙂
I had some stuffed cabbage leaves before, but never “sour cabbage”… I think the vinegar must add a wonderful flavour to the cabbage, as it can be a little bland at times without extra flavouring! I’ll definitely try this next time! Sounds delicious, can’t wait! Thanks for sharing this Sandra, and thanks for introducing us to this blogger, Nami!