A Couple of Cool Ways to Cook Cabbage

We’ve gotten a lot of cabbage lately. Also, it’s been in the high 90s, and there’s a big holiday coming up—in the middle of the week, no less. So I have been thinking about ways to cook that cabbage without heating up the kitchen or taking a lot of time away from holiday activities. And one of the things I thought of first was . . . crockpot! Here are two cabbage crockpot recipes; I adapted the first one from a recipe I found online and have already made it. Roast cabbage (shown at left) is delicious, even when it’s hot out. The second, scalloped cabbage, I haven’t tried yet, but what doesn’t taste better with cheese on it?

Crockpot Roasted Cabbage and Potatoes
1 small head of cabbage
8-10 fingerling or other small potatoes
8 whole cloves of garlic
3 or 4 of those sweet, delicious CSA onions
CSA turnips if you have them
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Wash the vegetables and cut potatoes and turnips into 1 inch chunks (you don’t have to peel them). Peel and quarter the onions; just peel the garlic and leave the cloves whole. Cut the cabbage into wedges; don't worry about separating the leaves. Throw all the veggies into the crockpot with the whole garlic cloves. Mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar and pour it over the vegetables. Toss with your hands to coat the vegetables thoroughly. (Note: Don’t add any water.) Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4 to 6 hours. The vegetables are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness. The cabbage and onions get a little carmelized and crispy around the edges where they touch the crock walls. That's okay, it tastes wonderful!

Scalloped Cabbage in the Crockpot
1 can low-fat Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup chopped pimiento, drained (I may use chiles instead)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 cups shredded cabbage
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Spray a crockpot container with butter-flavored cooking spray. In the prepared crockpot, combine mushroom soup, pimiento, and cheddar cheese. Add cabbage, carrots, and onion. Mix well to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Mix well before serving.