A smile from ear to ear

It's a funny thing writing a blog. I started this project mainly as a selfish venture to keep track of my recipes, as I am notorious for cooking something fabulous once and never repeating it. Partially, too, it was a method for my loved ones to finally track down the recipes I'd promised to write down for them 137 times to no avail.

Then Hail's Kitchen took a little hiatus, actually about a year hiatus, but who's counting? Since recommitting myself to this love affair with all things food, it has taken some adjusting. My camera is now a staple item along with the coffee pot in the kitchen. Heather no longer waits patiently for me to snap a few (or thirty) photos of our meals before she dives in. I finally realized that the majority of my cooking needs to take place in daylight hours because as you can see, my nighttime photos are more than a little lackluster. That has been the hardest part for me.

When I started posting, it felt like I was writing to no one; to this nebulous audience . . . the INTERNET. Then a few people started commenting here and on my facebook page alerting me to their participation in the process, which I'll admit felt like such a one-sided deal. Really, you like my blog? Cool!

Then I began branching out to this amazing food community that exists online. Sites like Tastespotting and foodgawker, which I always admired from a far because no way is my food/photography/writing on par with these other culinarians. I manage a photo here and there, but those folks are PARTICULAR.

Then I found Tasty Kitchen. Those of you who know me, know that I have a girl crush on the Pioneer Woman. I don't need to tout her awesomeness, just pop over to her site and see for yourself. The woman is amazing. Well, Tasty Kitchen is her version of Tastespotting and Foodgawker for normal folks -- like me! It's approachable and bright and cheery, just like Ree herself. (I talk as if I know the woman, but after you read someone's blog long enough you really do feel like you're friends).

So this morning I see an unusual amount of traffic on my site. Hmmm? After a little research as to the sudden onslaught, I discover that I am Tasty Kitchen's featured member. Really, me, Hail's Kitchen?! I immediately pick up the phone to call my biggest fan, my mom, who is equally as excited, and we freak out about the reality that PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ MY BLOG.

All I can say is thank you. Thank you for visiting, even though I still feel like you, readers, are nebulous little creatures who occasionally leave me feedback. I am flattered and humbled and grateful and very excited that perhaps I'll make some new friends from this venture.

This afternoon I made the meal I requested for nearly every birthday dinner as child: cabbage rolls. They take some prep work -- coring the cabbage and then blanching it -- but it is worth all of the grunting and near hand amputating and hot water scalding. I know I say it often, but I really could die happy after this meal. Despite all the spicing up and tweaking of this recipe, my cabbage rolls never seem to taste as good as my mom's. I suppose that's the nature of one's mother's cooking -- hers is always the best.

I used turkey instead of beef to make

the rolls a bit leaner.

Commence grunting in three, two, one . . .

This really is the hardest part -- attempting

to get these buggers out soft and still intact.

Wrapped up and ready for

dinner later this week.

I'm a working gal now!

Cabbage rolls

2 pounds ground beef or turkey

1 head cabbage, cored and blanched

1 cup instant rice

1 package onion soup mix

1 28 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

s/p

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the meat, rice, onion soup, garlic salt and about a cup of the tomato sauce. Mix well. Place about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture on a blanched cabbage leaf and roll up, tucking in the edges. Repeat until the meat mixture is gone. Pour remaining sauce over the rolls. Season with salt and pepper. Bake covered for two hours. My mom ALWAYS served this with cottage cheese. The meal is not complete without it.