My mini summer vacation is just about over (already?!), and it has just flown by. While it’s been extremely cool in Buffalo for July, with days just barely hitting 70ºF, we at least got to experience some hotter temperatures over a long weekend in Vegas. We didn’t really know what to expect, since both Alex and I have never truly experienced over 100 degree weather. With the dry heat, it just felt like we were constantly getting furnace air blown onto us. As long as we weren’t under the sun for long, it was actually pretty enjoyable!
I was so looking forward to having a ton of kitchen time with my break, but I actually have hardly gotten into the kitchen at all, with all of the traveling we’ve been doing. We’re heading out to a friend’s wedding this weekend, and then I finally get ONE final week for kitchen time before starting rotations up again!
In the meantime, I wanted to share a dish that is pretty big in my family – haluski! It’s the ultimate comfort food, loaded with bacon – it’s actually cooked up in the bacon grease. There are a lot of different takes on it, even within my family – my pap (grandpa) makes it with just noodles, cabbage, and butter, since that was how they made it during the depression, but the rest of us all make it with bacon. My German teacher sister, Lauren, adds a bit of sugar and vinegar to give it a German potato salad feel.
My slight twist on the classic cabbage, noodles, and bacon is to add in a bit of garlic and onions. The onions cook down and become slightly sweet – the perfect way to make this dish even better. Be warned – this recipe makes a lot, and you’ll need a really big pan to fit everything in. I always add the cabbage in segments, so it cooks down and I have more room as I go. It makes a lot, but it also goes down really, really easily, so you’ll find yourself going back for more, and more, and more…
What is your favorite comfort food that’s a classic in your family?
- 1-12 oz. package uncured bacon (I love thick-cut, applewood smoked - you can also use up to 16 oz.), chopped into pieces
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium-large head of cabbage, shredded
- 16 oz. wide egg noodles [I also love using spätzle (German noodles) if you have access to them!]
- salt and pepper, to taste
Place the chopped bacon in a large skillet, and cook over medium heat until browned.
While the bacon is browning, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain, and set aside.
Once the bacon has browned, add the onion slices and minced garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent, and the garlic is fragrant (do not drain the bacon grease!). Add the shredded cabbage, and cook down until softened. If you do not have enough room in your skillet for your cabbage, add a bit at a time until it has cooked down - you'll end up having enough room once it's cooked!
Once the cabbage is softened, stir in the cooked noodles, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
If you like things with a little tang/a bit of a kick, Alex really enjoys adding Red Hot to his haluski.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator - they're even better reheated the next day when the flavors have developed even more!
https://cookingalamel.com/2014/07/haluski-fried-cabbage-and-noodles.html