Unstuffed Cabbage Cassarole

This recipe started based on SkinnyTaste's Kalyn's stuffed cabbage cassarole. Of course, I can't do anything according to a prescribed plan, so I had to change it up. It starts on the stove top and finishes in the oven. Here goes:

Preheat your oven to 350*F and line or grease a lasagna pan.

In one large skillet on medium heat, add:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion (any color you like), chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

Saute until the onions are tender. Add:

1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped
1 tsp salt

Saute until the cabbage is halfway cooked.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, brown 1-2 pounds of ground beef, drain and reserve.

To the cabbage, add a can of diced tomatoes, 12-15 ounces spaghetti sauce (I prefer Ragu), 12 ounces water, half a cup of uncooked white rice, 1/4 cup uncooked lentils. I also added a splash of Knorr condensed chicken broth, and a sprinkle of Tandoori seasoning. Stir together and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Mix the cooked meat into the cabbage mixture, pour into your prepared dish, cover with foil, and put in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, top with 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned.

There are a million ways to adjust the seasoning to take this to any flavor profile you like. I added Tandoori and chicken stock to beef. Shocking I know, but I'm wild like that. This went over well with the older crowd, and I hope you'll give it a try. This recipe as described is gluten free. Be careful to check the ingredients of anything you use if you have food-sensitive issues.

Enjoy!
~ky