A baked casserole of creamy cabbage, beef, and cheese, topped with cheese and bread crumbs

1 small-medium head of cabbage, chopped (about 7 cups before it's cooked)
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
8 ounces sour cream
12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup bread crumbs* or croutons

1. Put cabbage in a pan with a lid, and add an inch or two of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring as needed, until cabbage is tender (about 5-10 minutes). Drain well.

2. Fry ground beef with garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Drain grease.

3. In large mixing bowl, combine cooked cabbage, fried beef, sour cream, 8 ounces of the cheese, the salt, and the pepper. Stir to coat well.

4. Spread mixture in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining 4 ounces of cheese. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

*To make your own bread crumbs for the top, tear a couple slices of bread into small pieces. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at about 200 degrees until dried. You can also toast the bread first to speed the drying process if you wish.

This casserole is a great use for cabbage, since it calls for a lot! :) I think it's quite tasty. Another perk is that it's super-easy to make, and you can even use leftover cooked cabbage or leftover meat in it if you want. My rating: 9/10.