Italian Cabbage Rolls

Growing up in an Italian family, I've tried to master a signature dish like all the great women before me have done.  My mom's homemade sauce, meatballs, and lasagna are incredible and although my versions are pretty good, hers are the best.  I think I really hit my stride with these stuffed cabbage rolls!

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1 medium head of cabbage
• 1c cooked white rice
• 1/3c ketchup
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, italian seasoning and garlic powder
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/3 lb sweet or hot italian sausage
• 1c + 2.5c tomato sauce
• 1/3c V8
• garnish: fresh grated parmesan cheese

1. Boil a medium pot of salted water with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Place a medium head of cabbage into the pot and cook, covered, for 8 minutes.  Remove the cabbage and drain it, then rinse it with cold water.  Remove 10 outer leaves and reserve the rest of the cabbage for another use.
2. For the filling, combine the rice, ketchup, worcestershire and seasoning.  Mix well.  Crumble the beef and sausage over the rice mix (uncooked meat...don't be scared, it will cook inside the cabbage and you'll check the temp before you chow down) and stir well to combine.
3. Spoon 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a large skillet.  Spoon the meat mix into the center of each cabbage leaf, and fold up like a parcel.  Place seam side down in the skillet.  Top with 2.5c additional sauce, cover, and cook on the stove top on medium low heat for about an hour.
4. Remove the cover and add 1/3c of V8.  Simmer, uncovered, for 10 min.  The internal temp of the rolls should be 155 to 165 degrees.
5. Serve sprinkled with some fresh grated parm.

You could also add some fennel, onion and/or bell pepper to your rice mix for some added flavor!  These are great as is- the sausage really gives the filling a nice kick.  The peppers that you see in the sauce are from my spicy marinara recipe that I used here.  Feel free to check out that recipe, as well as my recipe for a more traditional Italian red sauce, or use your own favorite marinara!