Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a Worldwide Phenomenon

Do you know about Stuffed Cabbage? Oh boy, you should know about this comfort food! You see, Stuffed Cabbage has seriously become a worldwide phenomenon like we haven't seen for another such Hungarian comfort food. Why not Google "stuffed cabbage" and "stuffed cabbage rolls" if you have a couple of minutes. You might notice that everybody is talking about this comfort food! I'd like to think that I have helped, throughout the years, encouraging people to express their love for the ethnic dish. And, we know that Martha Stewart has added her voice to the discussion as well.

I honestly can't think of another dish quite like it. But, I am partial to the one that I think is best. You know, it seems that there are so many versions of the recipe throughout Eastern Europe and the world.

For me, I don't think there is any recipe better than traditional Hungarian like the recipe my grandmother Julia Nagy handed down to us. She had a secret ingredient that added that special flavor.

Photo: Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in cast-iron pot cooking - copyright JaguarJulie.

Stuffed Cabbage as it's known worldwide!
I spent quite a bit of time researching this information to assemble this list. Did I get your country on that list?

* Golubtsy - Russia
* Golabki (little pigeons) - Poland
* Halubcy - Belarus
* Holishkes - Ashkenazi Jewish
* Holubki - Czech Republic and Slovakia
* Holubtsi - Ukraine
* Kaldolmar - Sweden
* Kaalikaaryle - Finland
* Kohlroulade - Austria
* Krautwickel - Germany
* Lahana Dolmasi - Turkey
* Malfoof - Jordan (Middle East)
* Rouru Kyabetsu - Japan
* Sarma - The Balkans
* Sarmale - Romania
* Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary
* Vegetarian - Worldwide

Who Loves Stuffed Cabbage?

Martha Stewart loves making Golabki aka little pigeons; the Polish version. Undoubtedly, Martha Stewart is the brand ambassador for Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. And, I am the Hungarian version brand ambassador!

Stuffed Cabbage Worldwide Popularity Poll
For several years, we asked our readers to register their votes on their favorite version of the recipe. We asked them to pick just one of their favorite comfort food recipes. The votes are in!

The poll results:

3% Golubtsy - Russia, 21% Golabki - Poland, 1% Halubcy - Belarus, 4% Holishkes - Ashkenazi Jewish, 7% Holubki - Czech Republic and Slovakia, 4% Holubtsi - Ukraine, 1% Kaldolmar - Sweden, 0% Kaalikaaryle - Finland, 1% Kohlroulade - Austria, 5% Krautwickel - Germany, 1% Lahana Dolmasi - Turkey, 1% Malfoof - Jordan (Middle East), 1% Rouru Kyabetsu - Japan, 3% Sarma - The Balkans, 4% Sarmale - Romania, 36% Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary, 5% Vegetarian - Worldwide

2,273 people have voted in this poll.

#1 - The top vote with 36% : Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary
#2 - The second highest vote with 21% : Golabki - Poland

Why do you think these rolls are so popular?

Because JaguarJulie has promoted it perhaps? If you haven't noticed, this ethnic food has become a popular food. Every day someone is blogging about them and talking about the various ingredients that they use. We want to thank the fans for making this a talked about comfort food worldwide!

Has Martha Stewart 'popularized' them? We will honestly give credit to Martha for making Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls a worldwide phenomenon. On her TV Show, she was always preparing some of those rolls!

For several years, we ran a debate asking this very question. I have selected a few of the comments.

Oh yes, I'd say it's definitely because of Martha Stewart!

1. Hard to say. But when someone famous really gets behind something, it usually makes a difference. So I will vote for Martha.
2. I agree that Martha Stewart has made cooking popular again, especially in the younger households.
3. Well, there must be some reason that the homey and comforting cabbage rolls got trendy, I assume that it is Martha, tho you don't need to be a celebrity to know what's genuinely good!

No, I think it has gained in popularity because of some other reason.

1. I think that stuffed cabbage was very popular before Martha Stewart, however, it may have been in my family.
2. No, I would say our Grandmothers made it popular. Thank you to all the grandmothers. =)
3. I say it is a combination. I think that Martha Stewart has helped popularize stuffed cabbage rolls. Stuffed cabbage rolls have been the tradition of many countries so it is not just Martha Stewart alone.

Which country's recipe is the best?

It's a head-to-head debate pitting Hungarian vs. Polish! I've done years of research and have noticed that two countries dominate! So, which one -- Hungarian or Polish is the best? We ran that debate for a number of years, as well. All in all, the results were pretty much the same as our original poll results ... rather a 3 to 2 vote making Hungarian the best as rated by our readers!! Here's what a few of them had to say about it.

Polish is the best!

1. I have to go with my heritage!
2. My gramma' made the best stuffed cabbage. We lived in an area of Chicago where Polish foods dominated and that sort of influenced the way we ate. 'Course, almost any stuffed cabbage is well worth the time it takes to enjoy it.
3. I'd have to vote Polish... I learned how to make them from my dad, who in turn learned from his Polish mother. Oh, and my own grandmother (maternal) used to shop at West Side Market.... as did I, up until a couple of years ago when I moved out of the U.S.!

Hungarian is the best!

1. It's just a dish that screams Hungarian. Like Hungarian Goulash.
2. I grew up eating the Hungarian style of Stuffed Cabbage. We always had it at the holidays and friends and relatives were requesting it at weddings, parties, etc.
3. Well, may ancestors came from Vas County Hungary, and grandma was a GREAT COOK so I'd have to say Hungary has it! Thanks for this!

Thanks for visiting!

So, can you pick between the two; i.e. Hungarian or Polish? Maybe you are a little of both yourself - like me! I've tried a lot of stuffed cabbage in my lifetime and I always come back to my Grandma's recipe. It's got to be Hungarian! You know, Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are the perfect comfort food! Grandma surely knew best. Thanks Grandma!!

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Vegetarian Recipe

Some of my loyal readers have asked if I had a vegetarian recipe for making Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Well, as a matter of fact, I do! And, the recipe is also Hungarian. As I am a fan of all things made in Hungary, I am proud to share this delicious recipe for all the vegetarians who don't eat meat.

This is the Toltott Kaposzta Vegetarian Recipe and it is a rather famous recipe, you know?

It was presented at the Magyar Kongresszus of the Hungarian Association in Cleveland, Ohio in November 2005. I wasn't there, but wished I was.

I'm originally from Cleveland, Ohio which is a big melting pot of Eastern Europeans and Hungarians who know their stuffed cabbage.Without further ado, here is what you are waiting for!



Toltott Kaposzta Vegetarian Recipe
Preparation of the ingredients.

Saute in a pan:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
12 oz. tofu, crumbled
1 Tbsp. season-salt mix or Vegeta

Next add to above:
1 pkg. Morning Star crumbles
1 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 cups finely ground walnuts
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1-2 cups bread crumbs -- may substitute with Pepperidge Farm Herb stuffing mix

Then add:
4 eggs beaten
4-5 cups Brown Minute Rice or cooked Brown Rice
Approx. 1 cup water
Pinch of seasoning
Few drops of oil

Instructions:
Put all the above into a pressure cooker or microwaveable dish: Wrap above filling, large spoonful each, into parboiled cabbage leaves. Then place the stuffed cabbage pockets into microwave dish or pressure cooker. Fill with about 1 inch of water seasoned with seasoning salt or Vegeta and bit of oil.

Steam cook in pressure cooker about 4 minutes or in microwave. (Time depends on quantity -- just a few minutes cooking time is all that is needed.)

Prepare shredded cabbage:
Approx 1/4 cup olive oil
2 small onions thinly sliced
1 small head of cabbage (use outer leaves for rolls and shred remainder)
1 pkg. of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
Seasoning salt or Vegeta
1/2 cup water
Pam or other vegetable spray
Sour cream
Salt to taste

Slice onions thin and saute in oil for a few minutes - until glassy. Add cabbage, sauerkraut, seasoning and salt. Cook shredded cabbage mixed with drained sauerkraut until cabbage is soft.

In baking dish spray pam on bottom. Spread approx half of cabbage on bottom. Then place stuffed cabbages next to each other throughout the pan. Cover with remainder of cabbage. Spread top with sour cream.

Bake 350-375 for about 1/2 hour until it bakes through real well and sour cream is well set. --Magyar Marketing.

How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Two Different Ways!
You get the vegetarian version along with the more traditional meat version.

Get a Hungarian Cook Book!

Try Helens Hungarian Heritage Recipes. This is a large print edition.

I have actually chatted with the author of this excellent book. Clara Czegeny has shared "a culinary treasure of truly Hungarian Classic Recipes" that have been in the Szabo-Czegeny families for generations.

Learn about the use of paprika in traditional dishes. Get detailed instructions to prepare these recipes. They've got my favorite dishes from Chicken Paprikas and Cabbage Rolls to Poppy seed and Walnut Rolls.

You'll feel like you were immersed in the flavors of Hungary; with a little humor thrown in for good measure.

Thanks for visiting!

Are you a long-time vegetarian or recent convert? Hey, you don't have to be vegetarian to try this recipe. If you love Hungarian food like I do, you must try it. Normally, I make mine with meat ... but it is all good.

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipes

Are you a little or a lot Polish? I am sharing Polish Stuffed Cabbage recipes to help celebrate your heritage. When I think about the Polish version, Martha Stewart is the one and only person who comes to mind. For many years, I watched her television program. Martha was always promoting those rolls, Polish style of course.

I often wondered if Martha ever tried the Hungarian version. Whilst I gave the Polish version another try not that long ago, it made me long for my grandma's recipe!

See that picture. That is an authentic Polish stuffed cabbage roll. I had that dish at Gaufre's & Goods, Inc. on Aviles Street in St Augustine, Florida.

You can get a variety of authentic Polish and Greek food at this restaurant!

On our Staycation FL in St. Augustine and World Golf Village, we dropped by this restaurant twice to sample their authentic Polish Pierogi and Stuffed Cabbage! They boast "a delightful combination of European pastries, ice cream, crispy waffles and so much more." What's cool about this restaurant is its location on the oldest street in the United States: Aviles Street.

Photo: Polish Stuffed Cabbage Roll in Tomato Sauce - copyright JaguarJulie.

Martha Stewart Polish Rolls Recipe
Includes a Granny Smith apple and sour cream!

Ingredients:
2 quarts water
1 large green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked rice
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 medium green pepper, grated
2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
4 cups tomato puree
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for garnish

Instructions:
Using a paring knife, remove center core of cabbage. In a large nonreactive stockpot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until outer leaves are bright green and tender. Lift cabbage from water, and remove outer leaves. Return cabbage to boiling water, and repeat brief cooking and removal of leaves until all leaves are cooked. Reserve 2 cups cabbage cooking water. Trim thick center vein from bottom of each leaf. Reserve four large outer leaves to line bottom of pan.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until golden and tender, about 8 minutes. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, rice, beef, pork, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, green pepper, and celery. Stir to combine.

Add about 1/3 cup rice filling to one leaf. Fold sides of leaf over filling, and, starting with the stem end, roll the cabbage up. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

Line a 5-quart Dutch oven with reserved outside leaves. Transfer stuffed cabbage leaves to Dutch oven.
In a large bowl, combine tomato puree and the reserved 2 cups of cooking water. Pour some of the tomato sauce over cabbage to almost cover. Sprinkle apple over top of cabbage leaves. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a gentle simmer; cover. Cook for 1 hour or until cabbage is very tender, adding additional tomato sauce as needed.

Place sour cream in a small bowl, and ladle in about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce from the cooked rolls. Whisk to combine. Add sour cream mixture back to Dutch oven, and stir to combine. Serve with additional sour cream.

Watch Martha Stewart's video for learning how to make her recipe. You know you have to credit Martha Stewart with popularizing THE authentic Polish version.

How to Make Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Check out Martha's various rolls recipes

1. Pork and Beef Recipe
2. Beef and Rice Recipe
3. Vegetarian Rice Recipe

Stuffed Cabbage Taste Comparison!

Lean Cuisine:
Since I was doing a taste test between Polish and Hungarian, I opted to expand my tastes to try some store bought! Lean Cuisine's version tastes yummy for store bought! It's low in calories too! These rolls are filled with a mixture of ground beef, rice and seasonings and served with tomato sauce and mashed potatoes. Of course it's not spot-on to grandma's best stuffed cabbage rolls ever, but it's not bad for store bought.

Nutrition Information: Fat - 4g, Calories - 220, Weight Watchers Points - 4

MealMart Passover Edition:

Many of you who follow my lenses and follow me on twitter know that I was preparing for an Easter visit by mom and her boyfriend. Well, we were all excited because mom was bringing stuffed cabbage. Unbeknownst to us though, mom BOUGHT that version rather than making it.

She had found MealMart's Passover Edition at the local supermarket. It was something new and at about $11.00 for 6 stuffed cabbage rolls, she thought it would be great to surprise me. I was disappointed first that mom didn't make HER own, but I was up to trying a new kind.

I won't keep you in suspense! We did NOT like this stuffed cabbage. Let me repeat myself ... We did NOT like it at all. The meat stuffing was dark and unrecognizable plus bland tasting. The leftover 2 rolls along with what could be scraped from our plates went outside for the cats and raccoons.

I don't recommend buying this -- but rather recommend that you try one of the Polish recipes instead. Then, try my Hungarian recipes and you'll realize you've just had the best tasting rolls in the world ... ever!

Hey there! Are you ready to start cooking like Martha? Get your copy of Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook and get started.

This book is reportedly "the new gold standard for everyone who truly wants to know his or her way around the kitchen."

Imagine having Martha Stewart at your side in the kitchen, teaching you how to hold a chef’s knife, select the very best ingredients, truss a chicken, make a perfect pot roast, prepare every vegetable, bake a flawless pie crust, and much more.

What a thrill that would be, eh? That and a plate of Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls : yumm yumm.

Thanks for Visiting!

Hey, we are so happy that you found this page. What do you think about the Polish version?

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipes

When it comes to the best recipes for stuffed cabbage rolls, I must tell you that I am a little biased. Even if I wasn't Hungarian by birth, I would probably end up telling you that you must use a Hungarian recipe!

I have written about the humble cabbage roll for years. And, it warms my heart to see that it has become incredibly popular as a comfort food worldwide!

So, today, I am showcasing a couple of Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls recipes that I think you will love. I have selected a pork stuffed cabbage recipe along with the heirloom recipe of June Meyer. It's hard to pick just one!

Be sure to also check out my personal recipe that I learned from my grandma Julia Nagy. She had a special secret ingredient that put her Stuffed Cabbage rolls over the top.

Hungarian Pork Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Preparation time: 90 minutes. Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs sauerkraut
1 large head green cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp of finely chopped garlic
1 lb ground lean pork
3/4 cup cooked rice
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 tsp marjoram
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup water mixed with 1 cup tomato puree
1 cup sour cream

Instructions:
Rinse the sauerkraut in cold water. Squeeze dry and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn the heat to low and simmer 8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain while it cools enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to drain and cool further.

In a 10-inch skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil, until the onions are lightly colored. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, rice, eggs, paprika, marjoram, the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well with a fork or wooden spoon.

Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a 5-quart casserole and arrange the cabbage rolls on top of it. Add the water mixed with the tomato puree.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook the stuffed cabbage over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate.

Stir in the sour cream to the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the sauerkraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the cabbage rolls on the sauerkraut and pour some of the sauce over them. Serve the rest of the sauce in a sauceboat. --elise.com

June Meyer's Heirloom Recipe
Authentic Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe - from pages 106-107

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. ground pork
3/4 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. Hungarian sausage
2 raw eggs
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper corns
3/4 lb. rice
2 large bay leaves
2 white onions chopped
3 Tbsp. shortening
1 large head of cabbage
1 bottle or pack of sauerkraut

Instructions: Brown the chopped onion in shortening and place in a mixing bowl with ground meats, raw eggs, uncooked rice, paprika, salt. Mix well with your hands.

Take out the core of the cabbage. Leave the head whole. Place in large pot of boiling water to wilt the outer leaves. You will be able to gently pull off whole cabbage leaves. Trim off thick center vein of cabbage leaves. Make a pile of leaves. Shake off excess water.

Place 2 Tbsp. of meat and rice mixture on a leaf, starting at the thick end. Roll it up and tuck in the ends with your fingers. Make as many as you can.

Arrange the rolls in a cooking pot. Put a few chunks of sausage here and there between the rolls. Cover the rolls two-thirds full of water. Arrange rinsed sauerkraut on top. Sprinkle pepper corns and bay leaves on top. Cover and cook slowly for about 1-1/2 hours or until rice is tender.

This recipe serves 6.

P.S. We have presented her traditional recipe as a gray box jpg up above so that you can download and save it. Simply right click on the image and save to your computer and then print.

How to Make Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls



Say, why not get June Meyer's book?

I love June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes Third Edition and treasure it as a sort of keepsake that I will pass down through my family and create that Hungarian family tradition!

Oh boy, but this is my favorite Hungarian recipe book! You get 95 different recipes which are detailed with love and with family memories.

The book is sprinkled with historical facts of Hungary at the turn of the past century.

You get a good variety of Hungarian recipes from pickles, salads and slaws to soups and dumplings. You've got the main courses along with many side dishes and the important sauces. Don't forget the traditional Hungarian pastries!

The Perfect Comfort Food!
Getting older and thinking back on my memories of Grandma, I realize she knew best. Oh my, but her Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls were the perfect food ... the perfect comfort food. I miss her.

Thanks for visiting!
I hope you seriously take some time to give both of these Hungarian recipes a try. Please share comments, raves, remarks and recipes!

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. This lens made it to the #1 spot overall on Squidoo on April 19, 2009. Then, nearly 5 years later in 2014: January 3 and 30, February 1 and 3, March 28, and April 5. Thank YOU readers!

Stuffed Cabbage - Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever

Ah, Stuffed Cabbage! Sharing the Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever thanks to my grandma! One of my fondest food memories growing up is watching my grandmother make her Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. The second memory is enjoying the delicious taste! My grandma Julia Nagy had a "secret ingredient" that made her authentic, traditional stuffed cabbage rolls the best I have ever had to this very day.

I will let you know what her special ingredient is a little later. And, I will share grandma's recipe. We are thankful for our grandmothers who have passed down their family recipes. I think it is important that we celebrate our grandmothers and celebrate our family traditions.

What is stuffed cabbage? It's cabbage leaves stuffed with meat ** beef, lamb or pork ** along with spices and rice. It is an ethnic comfort food that is always better the next day, or the day after that. Do you know that they have become a worldwide phenomenon ... everyone in the world is talking about it these days! Find out why ... here.

Be sure to take part in the debates over which authentic stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is better -- Hungarian or Polish -- and whether it is a seasonal comfort food. I personally think they are great any time of the year, not just for the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas and St. Patrick's Day! What do you think? Do you love it as much as I do?

I hope you enjoy this page and that you make it a point to either make them yourself or find a restaurant where you can have some! These rolls are great with homemade mashed potatoes and the juice from the pot.

Photo Credit: The actual delicious dish, Hungarian style, by JaguarJulie.

Are you a Fan of This Ethnic Comfort Food?
Do you love it or not? Do you love the taste?

1. Yumm, Yumm, Yumm! Love love love it!
2. Haven't tried it yet.
3. Naw, don't like it.

My Confession : I Personally Love Stuffed Cabbage!!
To me, grandma's recipe is the best-ever! "It's my favorite comfort food! My grandma really knew how to make it!"

You know, I've been talking about my grandma Julia Nagy's authentic and traditional Hungarian comfort food recipes for a number of years online. In my opinion, she made anything : the best ever. She always seemed to have that special "secret" ingredient! Perhaps it was grandma's love?

It is incredible just how popular this ethnic comfort food has become. It is a healthy food too. Everybody is talking about it! How about you? Are you talking about your grandma's authentic recipes? Are you loving them? Have you got a best-ever, authentic and traditional recipe to share?

Do you prefer Hungarian or perhaps Polish like Martha Stewart might make? I've tried a lot of different recipes - homemade and store bought - but I keep going back to the original. I like mine with a blend of meats as that is a mainstay of the original recipe.

Dear readers, I want to thank you for taking time to check out my page on stuffed cabbage. Oh my to think that we food enthusiasts could have such a platform as the internet to write about our favorite foods and then touch so many worldwide.

I can't tell you what it all has meant to me to connect with everybody. I am so thankful to have had such great food memories from my youth. I am so thankful to have had a grandmother like Julia Nagy. And, I sincerely hope one day to be cooking with her again. --The Brand Ambassador, JaguarJulie!

P.S. I was the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it.

Doesn't this look delicious?
Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Roll served with tomato sauce and sauerkraut and a peppercorn!

Hungarian stuffed cabbage roll by JaguarJulie

When do you eat them?
Is Stuffed Cabbage a seasonal recipe or a recipe for all four seasons?

stuffed cabbage google trends analysis

Which season is right for this delicious comfort food? I am a huge fan of Google Trends and love to research different topics there!

An incredible amount of researchers are conducting Google searches for the best stuffed cabbage recipes in the world. It surely seems that authentic Hungarian and Polish recipes are ranking at the top. Everybody wants traditional recipes that are considered the best-ever. And, most times, those are our grandmother's heirloom recipes.

Yep, Google is trending this favorite food. What I think is quite captivating information from this chart is that this comfort food is a consistent type of trend throughout the years. Take a look at the dips and peaks of the chart -- it seems to indicate that this is a popular food during different seasons. So, please take part in this somewhat scientific poll! Thank you.

The Poll : When do you eat them?
Which season is right? When during the year do you eat Stuffed Cabbage Rolls?

1. I eat them in the winter months.
2. You can find me eating them more in the fall. 
3. I like stuffed cabbage rolls during the spring months.
4. Surprisingly, I love eating during the summer!
5. Seasonal - for all four seasons -- naw, I eat them all year around.
6. OK -- I'm just thinking about eating some.

Ingredients for Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Look closely to learn some of MY secret ingredients.

Grandma's Recipe Made for the Holidays!
Preparation time: 3 hours. Serves 8.

Grandma's Ingredients:
1 large cabbage
2 jars of sauerkraut
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. lean ground pork
1/2 cup cooked long grain rice
1 raw egg
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 cups of water
1 Tbsp. peppercorns
6 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
salt and black pepper

Zaprashka:
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour

Grandma's Secret Ingredient
We are revealing it right here!

OK, now for what my grandmother Julia Nagy called her "secret ingredient." It's Zaprashka, a sauce or gravy that is a thickening.

How to make the Zaprashka: Blend 4 Tbsp. butter* [or oil] and 4 Tbsp. flour together in a frying pan. Keep on medium heat and keep stirring until lightly browned and the lumps have dissolved. Slowly add the liquid mixture directly from the cooking pot to the Zaprashka and blend until smooth. Then, add this mixture back to the cooking stuffed cabbage!

*My grandmother brought home the very best butter from the West Side Market in Cleveland. --JaguarJulie

Instructions for Making Grandma's Recipe!
Follow these step-by-step instructions for Grandma's delicious recipe.

1. Remove core from the cabbage, place in a large saucepan, cover with water, then bring to the boil and cook until the outer leaves begin to loosen.
2. Lift out the cabbage, remove the softened leaves and return the head to the pan of boiling water to soften more leaves. Repeat until all leaves are removed.
3. Once all the leaves have been softened, remove the center stalks from each leaf and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, place the beef, pork, rice, bread crumbs, salt, paprika, pepper and egg in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Grandma liked extra black pepper! Set aside.
5. Place the onion and garlic in a saucepan and saute until the onion is soft.
6. Add the onion mixture to the beef mixture and mix well.
7. Spoon half the sauerkraut into the bottom of a large cast iron pot and set aside.
8.  Using the largest leaves, place about a handful of the meat and rice mixture on each leaf and roll up, tucking in sides. Lightly press the mixture into the leaves. Place the cabbage rolls with the seam side down on top of the sauerkraut in the cast iron pot. Sprinkle the peppercorns and add the bay leaves on top.
9. Add the unused leaves, chopped, on top in the cooking pot.
10. Mix the tomatoes, water and remaining sauerkraut together and add on top.
11. Cook on medium until mixture begins to bubble, turn down heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 3 hours. I like to let it simmer on the stove a little longer.
12. Near serving time, prepare the zapraska in a skillet, pouring liquid from the pot into the zapraska and then add back to the pot. The stuffed cabbage rolls should simmer for another 15 minutes with the added zapraska.
13. Grandma always served hers with homemade mashed potatoes, adding the liquid from the pot to the potatoes! YUMM!

Tips :: How to Work With a Cabbage Head
To easily get the best cabbage leaves!

Tips :: How to Work With a Cabbage Head

Carefully cut out the core of the cabbage head using a paring knife. Put the head into a large pot of boiling water that is big enough to fully cover it. Boil for a couple of minutes; less than 5 usually. You can tell the outer leaves are ready to remove as they will be a brighter green color and tender to a fork.

Remove the cooking head and carefully peal off the outer leaves and set aside. Place the head back into the boiling water and repeat the process.

TIP: Carefully trim the center stem on the softened leaves so that they will be easier to roll.

P.S. Some chefs like to first put their cabbage heads in the freezer; however, my Hungarian grandma Julia Nagy never put hers in the freezer -- so I don't either. You are welcome to try it if you like.

I have added a downloadable version of the tips as gray box jpg above. Just right click and save image to your computer so that you can print it out!

Thanks for visiting!
Do you love this food like I do? Got a great recipe? You know, I've tried a lot of different recipes over the years, but I honestly have not had any other stuffed cabbage rolls that can compete with grandma's. Taking time to create each delicious roll is well worth the end result. Psst, try it, you'll love it! Please share comments, raves, remarks and recipes!

The Perfect Food!!
You know, the more I think about it, now that I've gotten to be the age of my grandma, STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS are a perfect food. They are so comforting; ah, comfort food. Grandma surely knew best.

History: Stuffed Cabbage : The Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ever was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. In December 2008, it was voted the 'Best Cooking Lens' in the 2008 Giant Squid Awards Competition for Food and Cooking. On April 16, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. This lens made it to the #1 spot overall on Squidoo on April 19, 2009. Then, nearly 5 years later in 2014: January 3 and 30, February 1 and 3, March 28, and April 5. Thank YOU readers!

Favorite Stuffed Cabbage Recipe Poll

What Stuffed Cabbage Recipe has been voted the favorite of our readers? Is it the Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage rolls recipe or the Polish Stuffed Cabbage rolls recipe? Could it possibly be something else; like a vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls recipe? Have you voted in that stuffed cabbage poll?

It is pretty amazing that this comfort food has such a worldwide popularity! Growing up, I sincerely thought there was only one stuffed cabbage; my grandma Julia Nagy's Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage. Truly!  Of course, as a child, I got to taste my other grandma's stuffed cabbage recipe. She was of Polish and Ukrainian descent.

It was Easter and the family were visiting those grandparents. First, we were served cold beet soup.  Folks, don't you know that kids have zero appreciation for cold beet soup? Next, came along the stuffed cabbage. Hey, what the heck is buckwheat doing in the stuffed cabbage rolls? You catch what I am saying? Kids don't like buckwheat in the stuffed cabbage.

Later in life, I got to try Polish Stuffed Cabbage rolls locally at an authentic Polish restaurant in St. Augustine. While the filling in those rolls was pretty tasty, I didn't enjoy the tomato soup like liquid nor the large shape of the rolls.

So, we have come to our analytical and slightly scientific poll. It's the poll for determining your favorite Stuffed Cabbage worldwide. We asked the question, "Which recipe for Stuffed Cabbage is your favorite?" We included 17 poll options for stuffed cabbage recipes worldwide.

Golubtsy - Russia, Golabki (little pigeons) - Poland, Halubcy - Belarus, Holishkes - Ashkenazi Jewish, Holubki - Czech Republic and Slovakia, Holubtsi - Ukraine, Kaldolmar - Sweden, Kaalikaaryle - Finland, Kohlroulade - Austria, Krautwickel - Germany, Lahana Dolmasi - Turkey, Malfoof - Jordan (Middle East), Rouru Kyabetsu - Japan, Sarma - The Balkans, Sarmale - Romania, Toltott Kaposzta - Hungary, and Vegetarian – Worldwide

What have the readers determined, by their votes, as the favorite Stuffed Cabbage recipe? Of some 1,270 poll votes cast, it's neck and neck with Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage [Toltott Kaposzta] at 26.2% and Polish Stuffed Cabbage [Golabki] at 25.2%. That's a tight contest! Third place isn't even in the competition.

Favorite Stuffed Cabbage Recipe Poll

How do you feel about those stuffed cabbage poll results? Do you agree? Have you already voted in that poll? FYI ... I voted for Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage as my favorite recipe!

Love Hungarian cooking? Get some of the traditional, authentic Hungarian recipes; get an authentic Hungarian cookbook!

P.S. My original Squidoo page on Stuffed Cabbage was created on December 21, 2007 to pay tribute to the memory of my grandmother, Julia Nagy.  I am eternally grateful that my grandma instilled in me an appreciation for my heritage and for authentic and traditional Hungarian and Slavic foods.

Why all the ads for Brussels Sprouts

Good afternoon everyone! It's about dinner time for us in Jacksonville, Florida. I can smell the aroma of the cajun-spiced roasted whole chicken wafting from the kitchen and have about another hour or so to be subjected to the killer smells. Once a week, I generally prepare a roasted chicken; sometimes it is cajun-spiced and sometimes it is more of a lemon-pepper chicken.

Sometimes I will prepare brussels sprouts as a side dish to go along with the roasted chicken; sometimes petite red or new potatoes; sometimes a salad; sometimes mixed vegetables. Haven't exactly settled on those side dishes yet, so I think I'll let hubby pick when he gets home.

I've definitely decided not to fix brussels sprouts tonight as I've had my plate full of brussels sprouts today. No, I've not been eating them all day. However, I have noticed that the search engines have over-heated with brussels sprouts the past couple of weeks. Wow! Somebody must have gotten the word out that this mini cabbage head was a hot property or something! Everyone has jumped on the bandwagon to be either talking or advertising for brussels sprouts! It is the wildest thing you know?

Here is a screen capture of the ads from today's search on Yahoo. In the screen capture, you will see the actual placement of the ads at top and at the sidebar. Below the lavender line, those are the ads that have been appearing at the bottom of the search results. They have got you coming and going!

What is pretty wild about all this, is I was JUST asking on June 2, 2010, in my blog post, Why all the ads for Stuffed Cabbage? And, there is that same website again, that was previously advertising stuffed cabbage, and now is advertising brussels sprouts recipes!  I'm wondering, have you noticed this happening with your food topics?  Have you lost significant traffic lately?  Have you searched and found ads for your food topics?  It is wild I say!

In my Saturday, June 19, 2010 blog post, Who grabbed cut and ate the cheese, I touched on a variety of observations connected to brussels sprouts.  Several forum posts talked about this green vegetable and mini cabbage head.

You know, life can sure be wacky! Once upon a time, a vegetable was just a vegetable. And, then, along came the internet! Now, a vegetable is a hot commodity for ads! Isn't that remarkable?

P.S. Yes, I * Love * Brussels Sprouts - Get Some 5-Star Fabulous Recipes! And, I do so love Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls -- Find out about my grandma Julia Nagy's secret ingredient for stuffed cabbage rolls.

Who grabbed cut and ate the cheese

Say people!  As Saturdays go, this one started off like any Saturday of recent experience.  Hubby is off now going round and round on the golf course with the usual suspects, hitting and chasing that silly white ball over the river and through the woods and into 18 holes.  Gosh, what a lovely sport!  I think I need to take it up and hit a few balls and knock the crap out of some silly balls ... you know what I'm suggesting?

The morning has progressed with a visit to freshen up some puppies, feed the cats, and pop that laundry of hubby's into the washer to see if I can hook up with some fabulous finds, or not. I'm hoping for at least a twenty dollar bill; I'd like fifty, but hubby doesn't usually carry fifties or hundreds, at least NOT since we had a rent-paying tenant who didn't have a checking account, so he liked to pay in cash in a dark alley ... oh, kidding!  He ran out of cash and excuses and has moved on to grace somebody elses' path and door.  Thank you Jesus!

I was sitting here looking at something that I would call a mystery, but it really isn't a mystery ... it is the story of popularity, traffic, the internet, and other people who like that story of popularity and want that traffic too ... thinking the road is paved with gold.  Writing on the platform of Squidoo has been a marvelous experience for over 4 years.  The ideas for more Squidoo lenses literally keep exploding out of the top of my head, but I have paused for a moment to notice a mystery.  And, I put a lid on my head to contain those ideas temporarily.

People are talking about how the power of Squidoo has attracted a lot of attention worldwide.  People are talking about traffic suddenly and mysteriously disappearing from their top topic lenses.  Holy Topicability Index Batman!  That's life, you know!  Have we not seen this happen for years and years?  That people will focus on a cool topic that seems to be a cool topic only to them or to only a few people.  And, then they will love and nurture and develop that topic.  Then, BAM!  One day that topic hits the bigtime. "Why, I want a piece of THAT action!"  Yes, others notice and want in on the action.

On June 3, 2010, I penned a JaguarJulie Blog On post asking "Why all the ads for Stuffed Cabbage?" It was a natural curiosity I had that in the beginning, it was perhaps Martha Stewart and me talking about the virtues and delicious taste of stuffed cabbage rolls. Then, pretty soon ... everybody's talking about delicious stuffed cabbage rolls. Don't you just love the internet, I ask?

So ... BAM! The latest foodsy candidate for all those ads, ads, ads is another gas-producing vegetable, Brussels Sprouts! Oh, I love love love Brussels Sprouts and have written a delicious page to celebrate all those 5-star fabulous recipes for preparing brussels sprouts.  What is most curious, about all this hot air on the internet, is to see a website that I recognize!  First, they loved stuffed cabbage, now they are loving brussels sprouts ... keep your eyes peeled for more from idealhomegarden !!!

Who grabbed cut and ate the cheese I am wondering? This is where I want to show that my thought pattern hit a brain f*rt and started thinking about cheese. You see I dropped by a Squidoo lens that was asking which kind of CHEESE you like on your burgers! Ah, cheese -- I love cheese, but had to start cholesterol-lowering meds so that I could still love my cheese! For me, cheese is such a favorite food, well that is in addition to stuffed cabbage rolls and brussels sprouts oh my!

My favorite cheese is blue cheese ... it can be quite stinky! Oh, I almost forgot, I also love love love limburger cheese ... a shameless plug that stinks, no it's yummy!

Now, here is where this will all make a little sense ... I am attempting to pull this blog post together for you! Who grabbed cut and ate the cheese I am wondering? I picked the fork in the road to venture onto Amazon and search on "Who Moved My Cheese?" as they say it is "An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life."  My first observations made me ask, why is that book not rated as a 5-star book?  It was that curiosity that made me read the reviews.  And, for that I am quite thankful this morning!  You see, I really really really needed a good laugh.  Let me share it ...

Usual cheesey stuff, March 30, 2010 by nr8209
This review is from: Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

This is a typical meaningless self improvement book. We were forced to read it at a previous company. Basically if you think you are so bad you really need help from this book I would give up now and head for the nearest cliff. I much prefer the parody Who Cut The Cheese? - An A-Mazing Parody about Change (and How We Can Get Our Hands on Yours) by Stilton Jarlsberg - a much more satisfying read.

You know it is encouraging to note that Google is always tweaking the algorithm to bring in the most relevant and spot-on search results. I'd like to think that when I am searching on my favorite search engine of Google that they are giving me premium search results. We all are pulled in so many different ways these days. Thank goodness for the fabulous Google. Huh, oh yes there are other search engines out there these days. Hmmm, remember what I said about working on a cool topic, nurturing it, and developing it until it hits the popularity index and then BAM! Others are on the bandwagon? Others are noticing that top traffic cool topic. In February 2008, I penned a fun debate that I think YOU will love. Be sure to express yourself GOOGLE vs. YAHOO -- Which side are you on? Ah, I do love Google you know!

P.S. Ah I am a woman you know! Yep, that is really me in that profile picture -- no mysterious avatar to make you wonder who the heck I am! Oh, and quite incidentally, I am a blonde and blondes do have more fun! Are we having fun yet? Tell ya more later. Thanks for dropping by today. Love ya!

Why all the ads for Stuffed Cabbage

For nearly three years, I have been actively writing and blogging about my favorite comfort food, Stuffed Cabbage. Well before that, I was doing lots of buzzing and sharing of my grandma Julia Nagy's Hungarian recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls as I've always said that her Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls were the very best!

Over at Squidoo, I have been conducting polls and duels debating whether Hungarian is better than Polish stuffed cabbage recipes. And, I've talked lots and lots about how I really think Martha Stewart has done her part to popularize the Polish recipes for stuffed cabbage. Are you already a fan of stuffed cabbage?

Why do you think stuffed cabbage rolls are so popular?  Do you think it is because of Martha Stewart or perhaps because Jaguar Julie has talked about stuffed cabbage so much?  Which recipe is your favorite for stuffed cabbage?

You know, it was not that long ago that I was checking my daily Google Alerts on stuffed cabbage and what did I see?  Holy mackerel Andy, but I saw that stuffed cabbage rolls have now hit the Nigerian market ... say, you know you've arrived when they are talking about you in Nigeria!  Let's hear it for stuffed cabbage rolls!!!!

So, something else that I've been noticing for longer than a month is the fact that my high traffic to my ever popular Stuffed Cabbage page has been a little off. When I do a Google search, I see that my lens is #1. I do a Bing search, and again my lens is #1 for stuffed cabbage. However, it is when I do a Yahoo search for stuffed cabbage that I discover what I think has happened to my extra traffic.  You see, I'm not the top search result on Yahoo like I am on Google and Bing.  And, it would appear that there is some competition for traffic from LOTS of advertisers!!!  Take a look at this screen capture that I have provided from my Yahoo search.

First of all, do you notice just how many ads there are for stuffed cabbage and stuffed cabbage roll recipes? What the heck is that all about? Do you get it that stuffed cabbage has hit the mainstream of popularity? OK, next ... do you notice some of the websites going after the traffic/hits for stuffed cabbage? I am looking at the top ad ... idealhomegarden.com ... And, even more interesting when you do a Who Is search you see it is a ValueClick website.

Gosh, what do you make of all that ...  Why all the ads for Stuffed Cabbage? If you want the scoop on Stuffed Cabbage and what secret ingredient my grandma added to her recipe, drop by article - it's a five-part series. Check out the various polls, the various stuffed cabbage roll recipes, and drop me a line in the guestbook. Let me know you found me!

A Visit from Grandma Oh My!

A visit from grandma can and should be a wonderful occasion. Grandmothers need to be a part of your family as much as possible, sharing love, wisdom and stories for younger generations to pass along to their family ... to keep the family history alive!

Well, today's visit from grandma, my grandma Julia Nagy is indeed an "Oh My!"

You see, I kid YOU not! It was in the wee hours of Sunday morning, this very Sunday morning, that I had a distinct visit from grandma. I can still visualize the start of that vision which was intermingled into a dream of sorts.

In this vision/dream, I was in another room when I heard water running. It sounded like the kitchen sink. As I came into the kitchen, I glanced to my left to see the left-side of the kitchen sink filling with bubbly, soapy warm water. And, to my amazement, I saw my grandma Julia Nagy's head, as clear as day, sort of bobbing on the top of the soapy water!  Our conversation started then and there.

That part of the vision/dream quickly changed to a vision of my grandma with a slender and lean body, oh, with her head now firmly attached off to the right side of the kitchen near the side door.

We began to talk ... but mostly I was doing the talking. As I am now relaying this "story," I am even more moved by the experience. I am quite the spiritual person, oh yes indeed. I believe in angels, and I believe that my grandma knows things about what "goes on" with our family.

I told my grandma how much I loved her and how I wished that I had told her more times whilst she was "living" that I loved her hugely and how much she really meant to me; how she influenced and contributed to "what I am." Grandma nodded her head and said, "Yes I know."

I continued on in our conversation. She said she knew about my writings on the internet and about how much I talk about her. Oh my! She knew about me sharing her Stuffed Cabbage Recipe! Yes, indeed.

... segway ...

So, it is all the more compelling this vision/dream in that I created a specific SquidCast on April 9, 2010 The Very Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls should be ... in which I said the following:

I am channeling a message that I received telepathically or should I say, spiritually, from my grandma Julia Nagy ... She is rolling over in her grave.

Well, isn't that particularly interesting? Grandma rolled over in her grave and paid me a visit! Oh my! You'll need to visit that SquidCast and then continue the story to that sidebar widget shown below.

A Dutch Oven for YOUR Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

And, now a word from our sponsors! If you are planning on making Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, you need a good Dutch Oven. Why not try the Lodge Logic Dutch Oven with Loop Handles! I know my grandma Julia Nagy made great Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in her Dutch Oven. While in today's vision/dream, grandma didn't talk about her Dutch Oven, somehow I think she was thinking it ... and now I am sharing that thought with YOU!

Carrying on the Easter tradition

What would holidays be without grandma or mom to carry on the tradition? In the last few days, we rearranged our schedules so that we could go visit my mom to celebrate Easter. And, boy are we ever in for a treat.

As I am finalizing hot work projects so that I can celebrate without thinking about work, I sent a quick email to mom to ask her a very important question! Allow me to share with you what I asked, "Mom, Will you have stuffed cabbage rolls? Would you like me to bring any “food” or edibles?" Hey, you see that link there for stuffed cabbage rolls? That's my Squidoo lens on my favorite comfort food. You see, I am half expecting mom to have these; I'll let you know after Easter, OK?

So, mom gets back to me today to give us a hint of the feast she is preparing. Here, let me have mom tell you in her own words:

Julie, now that you asked ... We'll be having roast leg of lamb with pierogies/mushrooms/onions, salad (name your dressing choice) mint jelly, etc. on Saturday.

Sunday a.m. has dry cereals w/milk, orange juice, fruit, and bakery.

Sunday features a honey-baked ham with cheese, potato casserole, stewed apples, asparagus, hard-boiled eggs, etc.

I have all the fixings in the fridge ... in fact, the ham is delicious as I've been snacking for 2 days already and find it so.

Drive carefully and come hungry!!!

So, mom is carrying on the Easter tradition in our family very nicely with a relative smorgasbord of goodies. Definitely got to have that honey-baked ham! Still hoping she is sneaking in those stuffed cabbage rolls.

OK, so don't tell mom, but I went shopping today at our local HomeGoods store to assemble a customized Easter basket. I was going for a yellow Sunflower theme with the fabric basket. In fact, it would go great with this item, Sunflowers, c.1888 Art Print by Vincent van Gogh. I love that art! It is so bright and sunshiny. And, perfect for Easter.

Happy Easter Hugs everyone.

Giving Thanks -- For the Fans Who Have Made a Difference!

This morning I am taking a moment to say "Thank You" to those 271 people that have shown their 'support' for something that means a lot to me. I have one lens in particular that stands out from all the rest of my  Squidoo lenses. This one lens means the most to me because it is because of a person who was a huge influence in my life ... someone who is no longer with us. Holidays with Grandma are a bit empty because grandma* is no longer with us.

Take a look at this fan art mosaic of my Stuffed Cabbage page. I see a lot of friendly faces there. If you are one of those friendly faces, my fellow Squidoo lensmasters, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there! Wow, 271 of my friends! That's not a bad number considering that I see 1,694 total fans on my profile page. And, thank you to the 531 lensmasters who have taken time to add their star to the page! Muchas Gracias and Köszönöm.



What's been very meaningful to me has been the "history" so to speak for this one meaningful lens! On April 16, 2009, this Stuffed Cabbage lens earned a purple star -- it's that special award for lenses with quality content made by Giant Squids. That was my very first purple star. Then, on April 19, 2009, this lens made it into the #1 spot overall on Squidoo; occupying that spot for some 24 days. That has been my only #1 lens, and it has meant the world to me. As Squidoo lensmasters we are rewarded in many meaningful ways. It's really not about the money; it is a form of acknowledgement that will stick with you.

It has been equally cool that there has been Google love for Stuffed Cabbage, much to the almost surprise of my hubby! He just smiles when I tell him all this stuff! Google has given this lens a pagerank of 6; that's pretty good I think. The lens has been getting great traffic too; traffic that should keep it in the overall Top 100; it's been there for over a year -- 465 days. Hmmm, I think I need to make some Stuffed Cabbage this weekend.

So, thank you those of you who have been a part of this remarkable, meaningful journey! I will never forget this.

*P.S. No, my grandma did not get run over by a reindeer. ;)

Thank You Martha Stewart

First of all! Where in the world has JaguarJulie been for the past 3 weeks and why the heck hasn't she been blogging? Holy moly batman! Dude, that is one excellent question. Gosh, this has been one hell of a month. Hell? Can I say that if this is a PG-rated blog? Oh, I think so! Heck doesn't seem to quite get it enough. Sheeesh, the stuff I've seen this month. I really need to start blogging more so that I can get all of that stuff off my chest.

OK, so I've established the fact that I am 110% aware that I've not been blogging to keep my interested readers interested. I had finished up Summer School and felt I needed a bit of a self-enforced vacation. So, here we go!

You know, I've been thinking and talking about Martha Stewart for years and marveling how she has worked through obstacles to build a credible and renowned brand that just seems to get more vital each day. Well, I finally opted in March, 2008 to put my thoughts together in an article, Martha Stewart is Reading MY Lenses, because there was a bit of tangible evidence to support that fact that Martha Stewart and staff are reading lenses. Yes! We've actually seen visitors from Martha Stewart Living reading lenses. Yes we have! That's OK Martha, we still love YOU! Wouldn't it be pretty cool to actually see Martha adding her comments to our guestbooks? Ah, I'd like to see that!

So, what is one of Martha Stewart's favorite recipes to talk about on her show? Why, it is Polish stuffed cabbage! I'm personally an advocate for Hungarian stuffed cabbage as I remember my grandma Julie Nagy made the best Hungarian stuffed cabbage rolls.

** Have you participated in the Hungarian vs. Polish debate to scientifically assess the better stuffed cabbage rolls?

** Have you also participated in the debate about the seasonality of stuffed cabbage rolls?

Now, it has been established that somebody at Martha Stewart Living is reading our lenses, right? Well, how coincidental is it then to see two search results from a Google search for "stuffed cabbage" as shown in this screen capture. Look closely, for you will see my article on Stuffed Cabbage that I talk about watching my grandmother Julia Nagy make the best stuffed cabbage rolls.

OK, look at the second search result -- Hey, it's Martha Stewart's website -- and it says something about her growing up and watching HER grandmother make stuffed cabbage! I thought that it was her mother that made the stuffed cabbage? Oh, grandma probably taught her mother too! Well, I surely do love grandmothers for they have popularized so many memories and recipes which are sure back in style today. Thanks grandma!



So, "Thank You Martha Stewart!" You know Martha, I've commented a number of times on your blog, but you've been busy in the kitchen whipping up some delightful goodies that you've not stopped by to say hello! Well, hey, that's OK. But, you know, you are missing out on a future guest for your show.

The best stuffed cabbage Hungarian vs Polish recipes

You undoubtedly know that I am the Stuffed Cabbage Queen! I've been talking about stuffed cabbage offline for too many years to report -- actually since I was a young child in Cleveland, Ohio in my grandma Julia Nagy's kitchen. My grandma was the master at preparing stuffed cabbage rolls with her authentic Hungarian recipe. I can remember quite well her telling me that not all stuffed cabbage was prepared correctly. Her recipe included what was the secret ingredient to making her rolls delicious.

Then, along came Martha Stewart who has done a marvelous job in promoting stuffed cabbage with her Polish recipe for golabki. She also has a twist on the stuffed cabbage recipe that includes of all things carrots and apricot preserves. I am part Polish and certainly like Polish food and Polish recipes, but I will save those apricot preserves for the butter horns!

It is incredible how popular stuffed cabbage rolls are today. Stuffed Cabbage has become a worldwide phenomenon. In fact, people are preparing them not only on the stove top, but also in the oven and crock pots!

Normally, I use my crock pot for my stuffed peppers and will sometimes put them in the oven. But, Hungarian or Polish stuffed cabbage really should be made on the stove top in a cast iron pot. Grandma didn't use bacon or put anything to sweeten her rolls. My mom also recently reminded me that grandma used plenty of pepper -- yes, black pepper along with Hungarian paprika.

Want to learn how to make Hungarian or Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls -- authentically? Check out my recipes. Get grandma's authentic Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage rolls recipe -- with that secret ingredient! You know, there is even a vegetarian recipe for Hungarian stuffed cabbage!

Want to learn how to cook the Hungarian or maybe Polish way? Check out these cookbooks that I recommend:

• Cooking the Hungarian Way (Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks)
• Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes
• June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes Third Edition
• Hungarian Cookbook: Old World Recipes for New World Cooks, Expanded Edition
• More Hungarian Cookbooks
• Great Polish Cookbooks

Something unexpected with a Google image search

Julie -- When I was searching Google to find images for my latest lens with the terms "Sexy Grandma Necklace" the photo of you and your grandmother popped up. I sure didn't expect that!

Now, I thought that lensmaster must be pulling my leg. So, I did a Google image search to see if I could find this picture of me and my grandma! OK, this is getting pretty interesting! On the second page of the image search, there was this very picture. It references a blog archive post of mine from January 27, 2008, Butter Horns: A delightful treat as prepared by my grandmother! That referenced blog post is talking about a Hungarian pastry that my grandmother was famous for making. Those butter horns have nothing really to do with 'sexy!'

This morning I received a comment in my Stuffed Cabbage article from a fellow lensmaster:

But, in her time, my grandma was probably considered sexy. Blush, sometimes what you can find in an image search can obviously be NOT what you expected. I know for me it wasn't expected! And, quite frankly I'm a little surprised -- but I appreciate any compliments being thrown my way if I fit the sexy part. Thank you!

Stuffed Cabbage is Popular Worldwide

On Sunday, April 19th, I was surprised by a special blessing when I logged into my Squidoo account and saw on my dashboard that my Stuffed Cabbage lens had hit the #1 spot on Squidoo's Top 100.


If you check the Top 100 in the Food and Cooking category, you'll spot the top food experts on all of Squidoo.  At any one time, you should find a couple of my fabulous food recipes there.

To have attained the top spot for Stuffed Cabbage is quite meaningful when considering that April marks the anniversary of the loss of my grandparents. We lost grandpa Alex Nagy on April 21st; followed a few years later by grandma Julia Nagy on April 28th. It was my grandma Julia Nagy who inspired my top article -- and we all know that grandpa ate LOTS of Hungarian stuffed cabbage in his lifetime!

Stuffed Cabbage Worldwide Readership Base

Stuffed Cabbage is quite popular worldwide as demonstrated by this reader map. Can you name all the different names as stuffed cabbage is known worldwide? Check out that cool list of names of stuffed cabbage as it is known throughout the world.

Do you know that Martha Stewart is always making her version of Polish stuffed cabbage rolls on her TV show? Want one of her recipes for Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls?

Why do YOU think stuffed cabbage is so popular -- is it because of Martha Stewart or for some other reason? Weigh in on the debate and check out what other people think about this!