Matt and I (well, mostly me) have been making a conscious effort to expose our children to as many different ethnic foods as we can. Whether these dishes have been American-ized or not, the point is to introduce them to new flavors and ideas. It’s especially important to do that with a picky eater like Ari is, and I have to say all our hard work has paid off, as she surprises me with what she’s willing to at least try to eat.

Both of my kids love to help out in the kitchen, and I encourage it when I can because not only is it quality time with me, but it helps create good memories. It is my hope that if they build enough good memories about the kitchen and food, when they’re out on their own they won’t subsist on ramen and take out because they don’t know how to cook anything.

With this recipe, I hope to introduce them to one of my favorite comfort foods – braised red cabbage. I’ll be making it next week, and when I do, I’ll try to remember to take pictures. I’m calling this Opa’s Red Cabbage because it’s my dad’s recipe, and Opa (German for Grampa) is what my kids call him.

Opa’s Red Cabbage

 
Red cabbage braised with a bit of bacon and onions, seasoned with cloves.

Serves 6

6 slices bacon — diced
1 large onion — chopped
1 small red cabbage head — sliced thin
3 whole cloves
2 cloves garlic — minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper — to taste
chicken broth — as needed

Brown the bacon in a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed casserole until it’s brown and crispy. Add in onions and cook the onions until they’re soft.

Put the red cabbage, whole cloves and garlic into the pot and mix well. Add in the balsamic vinegar and red wine, reduce the heat and let cook covered until the red cabbage is soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If the red cabbage starts to get a bit too dry, add some chicken broth, but be careful – you don’t want the cabbage to be runny. It’s supposed to be moist, with a bit of juice/sauce.

If you find the red cabbage is too tart/sour, add in a little bit of brown sugar – no more than a tablespoon or two. This is supposed to be a tangy dish, not a sweet one.

NOTES : You can substitute red wine vinegar if you don’t have balsamic.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 122 Calories; 4g Fat (34.4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 151mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2
Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

This recipe makes 6 jumbo sized muffins.

Chicken & Cheese Breakfast Muffins

 
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup cheese crumbles
1/2 cup bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and spray the jumbo muffin tin with no-stick cooking spray.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until about half mixed.

Add in chicken, bacon and cheese and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter should be lumpy.

Divide the batter equally between the six jumbo muffin cups and abke for about 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.