Crock-Pot Ground Beef and Cabbage

Okay, I'm lazy. I love cabbage rolls, but I don't want to do all the work to make them. So this is really fast, maybe a 5 minute prep at most, version. Seriously easy. No browning the meat first (choose a lean ground beef, around 90-10), just chop up the onions and cabbage, throw everything in the slow cooker and go. This time I've added the beef right from the freezer. This can be prepared the day before, it's just as good heated up. It has a little kick to it from the Ro-tel, so if you aren't a fan of a little spice, just use a can of regular diced tomatoes.

No, it doesn't taste exactly like your grandmother's cabbage rolls, but then again, they take way more effort to prepare.

For variety, try using ground turkey, or adding an Italian sausage or two in place of some of the ground beef.

Ingredients:

1 or 1.5 pounds ground beef, lean
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium cabbage, chopped
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (omit if using Italian sausage)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (option, but a really good depth of flavor)
pinch of sugar (as needed)

Cooked rice for serving


Directions:

1. Throw everything in the slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours.

2. Stir occasionally to break up the beef.
3. Test afterward for seasoning.
4. May need to add a pinch of sugar if the sauce seems a little acidic.
5. If the gravy is a little thin for serving over rice, just thicken by using a couple teaspoons of corn starch mixed with a couple tablespoons of water (eyeballing is okay) and add to slow cooker, stirring until thickened.



Note: This can be cooked on High for 3-4 hours, or in a pot on top of the stove for about 30-40 minutes. For the stove top method, I recommend thawing the meat first, but don't brown.