I love food, and sometimes, I even love to cook.  I say sometimes, because, unless I am cooking something that I really love, I tend to not want to cook.  I hate just throwing stuff together, and yep, there it is, just food.  When I cook, I cook from the heart, and nothing brings that out of me more than when I am cooking some of my most loved family recipes.  I have several, but here are just a few.

Serving Size: two to three rolls Serves: 4-6 people

1 head of cabbage (about 3 lbs)

1 c. uncooked rice

2 eggs

1 lb. sauerkraut, drained

2 medium onions, chopped 1 can tomato soup

1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. salt 1 can diced tomato

1 1/4 tsp. paprika 5/8 tsp. pepper

1 1/2-2 lbs ground beef (or half beef/half pork)

Core the cabbage and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes, uncovered to wilt the leaves. Remove and let cool slightly. Remove about 12 large leaves and cut out vein.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, 1/2 cup of onions, garlic, 1 tsp. of salt, 1 tsp. paprika and 1/2 tsp. of pepper. Add meat and rice and mix well.

Place about 1/3 cup of meat mixture on one cabbage leaf. Fold in sides and roll up. Repeat this for remaining leaves.

Chop remaining cabbage and combine with the sauerkraut, undrained tomatoes, tomato soup, sugar, and remaining salt, pepper and paprika.

Spoon half of the mixture into the bottom of a large pot. Arrange cabbage rolls, seam side down, over the mixture. Top the rolls with the remaining mixture. Fill the pot with enough water to cover.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, adding water as needed. Do not stir!

No family get-together is the same without Gram's beans. They are easy to make, and just remind me of her. When getting together with my family, I always ask her if she is going to make them. Seeing how much I loved them, she gave me the recipe. Thanks, Gram!!!

8 strips of bacon

1 1/2 onions, cut into rings

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 c. packed, brown sugar

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 Tsp. dry mustard

1 sm. can butter beans

1 sm can red kidney beans (16oz)

1 can pork & beans (21 oz, undrained)

Fry up the bacon and cut into pieces. Add the onion and fry in the bacon after the bacon has browned.

Add in garlic, brown sugar, red wine vinegar and dry mustard. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Drain the cans of butter beans and kidney beans. Add these, and the pork & beans to the bacon and onion mixture, and put it all into a casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Stir several times.

Alternate method: Follow original directions, but instead of cooking in the oven, put into a slow cooker. Can be left for several hours on low, but don't forget to stir!

This recipe has gone missing more times than I care to count. My mom has lost it numerous times, only to find it months later, tucked away in a cook book, or stuffed in a drawer somewhere. I have even lost it a few times. In fact, I had to search the house to find it today, so that I could include it in this Hub. Thanks to this Hub, though, it will never be lost again. Next time my mom looses it, all I have to do is send her here.

2 cans tomato soup

1 lb. shrimp

1 c. celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1/4 c. brown sugar

3 Tbs. yellow mustard (can also use spicy brown mustard)

3 Tbs. worcestershire sauce

3 tsp. lemon juice

3-4 drops of Tabasco sauce (add a few more if you like)

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

rice for 6 people

Thaw shrimp. Peel and de-vein shrimp if necessary. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.

In a large skillet, cook onion, celery and green pepper in margarine or butter until tender.

Stir in tomato soup, garlic powder, mustard, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and Tabasco. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp turns pink.*

Serve over rice.

*Pre-cooked shrimp can be used. If you are using pre-cooked shrimp, make sure the shrimp is completely thawed, rinsed and patted dry. Cook only long enough to warm up the shrimp.