The Lowly Cabbage and Wrinkled Rocks

If you're like me, whenever someone mentions "cooked cabbage," I'm immediately transported to a neighbor's house from my childhood and a steamy winter kitchen reeking of sour, smelly, unappetizing cabbage.

But I do love cabbage, as long as it isn't boiled to death in vinegar water!

Give me some raw cabbage, sauteed cabbage, fried cabbage, roasted cabbage, and I'm in heaven. Add a little butter, some onions, and some cilantro, and it's even better.

So when I ran across this recipe on Pinterest, I had to try it. The original recipe is from the peaceloveandlowcarb blog, but I adjusted it to serve two. I forgot to take pictures, but believe me, it was delicious!

Fried Cabbage with Kielbasa for One or Two

ingredients:

1/2 pound kielbasa (or other precooked sausage), sliced in 1/4" rounds
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
2 Tablespoons onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. malt vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 big handfuls coleslaw mix, or shredded cabbage (enough to fill your frying pan)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
parsley

Melt one Tablespoon butter in a large frying pan, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant (I love that part - the garlic smells so good!)

Add the vinegar to the pan and stir.

Add the sliced kielbasa and saute until it is slightly browned.

Add the second Tablespoon of butter, paprika, salt and pepper, and stir. Then pile the shredded cabbage on top until your pan is almost overflowing.

As the cabbage starts cooking down, toss the mixture carefully. Continue to cook and stir until the cabbage is soft and beginning to brown.


So, what's so great about cabbage?

It's full of vitamins and fiber, it's low calorie (1 cup of raw cabbage has 15 calories), and is found in many varieties. If you don't like the flavor of green cabbage, then try red cabbage, or bok choy. Napa cabbage is another variety, and even Brussels sprouts are an option (another veggie that is often boiled to death! Try slicing the sprouts thin and using them in a recipe like this or added to a salad - it will change your Brussel-sprout-loathing mind!)


Now we come to the wrinkled rocks. Have you been wondering about them?

Wrinkled Rocks is the name of the area of the Black Hills that is immediately behind Mt. Rushmore.

It's a popular area for rock climbing because the spires aren't as tall as some other spots (like Cathedral Spires), so they're great for learning how to handle the ropes and carabiners.

When we hike there, we just enjoy exploring the rocks.

It isn't a difficult hike, and it isn't a long one, but it sure is beautiful.
Especially on a fall afternoon.

I have a feeling this was our "goodbye autumn" hike this year, because the weather is changing. Our hike a couple days later was quite different...

Winter is coming!

Back to the cabbage - What is your favorite way to eat it?

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.