Rachel Ray's Stuffed Cabbage Stoup

It is definitely getting cold here in NY. When it is cold outside, you crave for something warm and comfy at home such as soup. Lately, I was thinking about stuffed cabbage but I was just too lazy about the thought of stuffing the cabbage for some reason so when I saw this easy stuffed cabbage stoup, I had to try it.

This recipe is from Rachel Ray. Her recipe is always very easy and quick. This is something between soup and stew so she calls it stoup. The ingredients are basically stuffed cabbage ingredients so it taste like stuffed cabbage but little bit lazy version of it.

Here is Rachel Ray's "Stuffed Cabbage Stoup" recipe from Food Network Website. 


This is super easy. First, you brown ground meat and saute some vegetables.

Then add cabbage.

Then add tomatoes and tomato sauce and chicken stock and let it simmer.

Serve it with some rice and sprinkle of parsley.

This is so easy and satisfying meal since there are lots of meat in it. This is perfect so someone like me who is not good at stuffing and rolling the cabbage.

My mom used to make stuffed cabbage for us during winter season. I love my mom's stuffed cabbage. Her stuffed cabbage is not tomato base. I don't know what she put in the soup but it is good. Maybe I should ask her how she make it and try to make her stuffed cabbage sometime this winter.

By the way, I cut my hair yesterday and love the new hair! To be honest, I hadn't cut my hair for more than a year!!! Can you believe it? I cut it last time when I was in Japan so it was more than a year.

Ever since I moved to NY about 5 years ago, I had been trying to find a favorite hair stylist but I couldn't really find one. But finally I think I found one! She was really nice and I love my new hair and it was affordable. I will definitely go back to her for my next hair cut! If you need any recommendation for a good hair stylist in NYC, let me know :-)

Pork Schnitzel & Mushroom Spaetzle

I made something from my husband home country. This is a dish I always have every time I go to Germany. The best Schnitzel is of course my husband's grandam's. I think normally people use veal for this dish but I was watching Tyler Florence on TV the other day and he was using pork so I used his recipe this time for Schnitzel and Spaetzle.

Here is Tyler Florence's recipe I used for pork Schnitzel. Click here to go to Food Network website.

Also, here is Tyler's mushroom mustard spaetzle recipe. Click here to go to Food Network website.


My Schnitzel was thinker than it should have been. I tried to pound them thinly but I guess it was not enough. While I was cooking, it started to curl up a little. I should pound more thinly next time. But it tasted good.

For Spaetzle, I used this special tool which I bought in Germany. Tyler was using pasta colander for spaetzle so I guess you don't need this special tool but I like this tool. There are small holes in the bottom so when you add dough and press it, the noodle comes out from the hole. When it hits the hot water in a pan, it will be cooked immediately.

The dough is pretty loose but sticky.

This is how it looks in the pot.

This is after I drain them.

This time, I followed Tyler's recipe and mixed these spaetzle with mushroom, mustard, thyme and heavy cream. It was really tasty.

The spaetzle was easier than I thought and my husband was so happy when he saw it so I think I will make this more often from now on. There is also a dish called "Cheese Spaetzle" and this dish can be eaten by itself. It normally has caramelized onion and cheese with Spaetzle. Maybe I will make that one next time.

I think I need to work more on Schnitzel still to make it perfect. However, I guess I will never be able to make Schnitzel like oma. I am looking forward to have oma's Schnitzel again sometime soon :-)

Wonderful Dinner with our Landlord

Last weekend, our landlord invites us for a dinner at the restaurant near our place since their daughter was singing that night at the restaurant.

Their daughter is a great singer and my husband and I went to see her sing once and loved it so we were super excited to see her sing again. She sings many different kind of songs but my favorite of that night was when she sang "Don't know why" from Norah Jones. Her voice is so soothing and I wish I could sing like her. Her husband and her daughters were there also. I met her daughters so the fight time but they were so beautiful like their mother. They are one good-looking family.

Anyway, dinner with our landlord is always fun. They makes me laugh so much.

The food was pretty good. I ordered salmon. There are so much vegetables and you can't really see the salmon but there is huge salmon piece underneath.

My husband ordered pasta.

 One of the landlord ordered Osso Bucco. Looks good!

We also had pumpkin ravioli for an appetizer but I forgot to take picture of that.

After dinner, we had cakes.

Key lime pie.

Carrot Cake.

Cheese Cake.

Before we start eating, we had a toast and our landlord gave us such a nice, heart-warming words. It also made me cry. It has been 5 years since we moved to NY and we have been living in the same house. We are so thankful to have such a nice landlord who are very supportive and understanding. I am very happy that our feelings are mutual and hope we will keep this great relationship for the years to come.

After the dinner, we moved to the bar area and enjoyed their daughter singing.

It was such a nice night and I really enjoyed it. It made my heart so warm and happy.