Steamed Cabbage

1/2 large cabbage, shredded (or a whole small cabbage)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. butter

Put your shredded cabbage in a large saucepan and add water.  Sprinkle some kosher salt over the top.
Put on the stove on high, covered.
Once the water in the pot is boiling, cook for another 5 minutes, steaming the cabbage.  If it runs out of water, add more.
After it steams for five minutes, add the butter and Worcestershire sauce.  Cover and turn heat down to medium.
Cook for about 10 minutes, covered, or until the cabbage is soft.
Enjoy!!


My review:   I love this.  It gives the cabbage such a good flavor.  Paired with sausage and potatoes, it is one of my favorite meals.

Red Beet Eggs

In true PA dutch form, I must include a recipe for red beet eggs. I love red beet eggs, but it's a taste I've only just recently began to appreciate. For years, I was convinced they were gross. Now, I love them. and I'm typing this as I have a bunch cooking away on my stove.

First, you gotta boil some eggs. Which isn't hard, but I never knew the "proper way" to do it until recently. So, I'm going to explain that too. Cuz if I didn't know, there's gotta be someone else who doesn't know, too, right?

10 eggs
1 (15 oz) can sliced beets
1 onion, thinly sliced (you don't need this)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vinegar

Begin by boiling your eggs. It helps to use old eggs. Don't use ones that you just bought at the store, give them at least a week. Place the 10 eggs in a saucepan and cover with at least an inch or two of water. Put on the stove on high until they boil. Boil for one minute, then cover and remove from heat. Let sit with the lid on for 10-15 minutes. Then place them in cold water, and peel when you're up to it.

While they are chilling out, you can start making your beet juice!

Drain the juice from the beets into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and vinegar. Put your beets and onions into whatever container you plan to put the eggs into. Once your eggs are peeled, you can throw those in with the beets and onions.

Put the beet juice on the stove on high until it comes to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Then pour it over your egg, onion, and beet mixture.

Seal your container and refrigerate. Refrigerate them for at least a day, but 3 days is recommended for them to get the full flavor. They last about a week in the refrigerator.


My review: Duh, I love them. They are even better if you do the beets homemade, but I draw the line there. I have never tried, but maybe someday. I've heard it's messy and not totally worth the hassle. Who knows. I just know that these are good, and definitely a hit at potlucks. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Gobs or Red Velvet Whoopie Pies or Red Velvet Sandwich Cakes

I apologize for the multiple names, but I've recently discovered that these are not called Whoopie Pies everywhere. Some people call them "Gobs". Others call them "sandwich cakes". But I have grown up knowing them as whoopie pies, which is apparently what Amish people call them, which makes sense, because I grew up buying them at Root's Farmer's Market, in Lancaster County, where millions of tourists flock to see Amish people. I'm just going to mention that I've always found this silly, because I also grew up seeing the Amish going to church in their horse and buggies, and never thought twice about it. and certainly, never ever thought of trying to snap a photo of them doing this.

But back to the Whoopie Pies/Gobs/Sandwich cakes. This is a very simplified version, using a box cake. But I can't tell the difference. And I've eaten a lot of whoopie pies/gobs/sandwich cakes in my life. (does the word "gobs" gross anyone else out? no, just me? hmm. okay.)

For the cakey cookie part of the WHOOPIE PIES:
1 box Red Velvet cake mix (come to think of it, any cake will do, so if you want devil's food because you're a chocolate devil, go for it, i won't tell)
1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix ingredients until combined.
Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a cookie sheet, two inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Let them cool.


For the Filling of the WHOOPIE PIES:
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 (1lb.) Box of confectioner's sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.

To assemble, spoon a small amount of frosting on the flat side of one cookie.
Take another cookie and press together until frosting is flush with the edge.
And then eat it.


My review: God Bless the person who invented these. For real. Yum! And I seriously can't tell the difference between the cakes being made from scratch or a box. Enjoy! And scream, whoopie! when you're done, because that's why they're called whoopie pies.