Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Ingredients : 

• 2/3 c. white rice 
• 2 heads of green cabbage 
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef 
• 1 c. chopped onion 

• 1 t. salt 
• 1/4 t. pepper 
• 8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces 
• 2 16-oz. cans tomatoes 
• 2 8-oz. cans of tomato sauce 

• 2 bay leaves 

Method : 

1. Cook rice according to package directions, cool 

Remove core from cabbage; run hot water into the cored area to help in removing outer leaves 

Remove 8 – 12 leaves from each head of cabbage, chop the remaining cabbage, and place in two baking dishes (or a large Dutch oven), sprinkle with salt 

Boil cabbage leaves until limp, about 5 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water 

Cut about 2 inches of the heavy center vein from the leaves 

Cook bacon with 1/2 c. onion till bacon is crisp 

To the bacon and onion mixture, stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaf, and simmer, covered, while preparing the rest of the dish, remove bay leaves before adding to the dish 

Combine cooked rice, egg, ground beef, the remaining 1/2 c. onion, and 1 t. salt, and pepper; mix well 

Place about 1/4 c. rice mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf; fold in sides and roll ends over rice 

Place rolls, seam side down, on top of chopped cabbage 

Pour tomato mixture over cabbage rolls 

Cover; bake at 350 degrees from 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours 

Freezes well