Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

Love cabbage rolls but don’t love all the work involved with preparing them. Use your slow cooker with this simple recipe.

Ingredients:

1 large head cabbage
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
¾ cup quick-cooking rice
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup crushed saltines (about 15 crackers)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ounce onion soup mix
1½ pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice, such as V8
Salt to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

1. Cook cabbage in boiling water just until leaves fall off head. Set aside 12 large leaves for rolls; drain well.

2. Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each reserved leaf, making a V-shaped cut; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, rice, green pepper, cracker crumbs, egg and soup mix. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.

4. Place about ⅓ cup meat mixture on each cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides, beginning from the cut end. Roll up completely to enclose filling. Secure with toothpicks if desired.

5. Place cabbage rolls in a greased 5-quart slow cooker. Pour tomato juice over rolls.

6. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hour. Just before serving, sprinkle with salt and cheese if desired.