UNCLE BILL'S RUSSIAN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan, add 2 cups of rice and 4 cups of water, bring to boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
• Fluff rice with a fork; set aside and let cool.
• Remove core from savoy cabbage using a long thin knife.
• Using a large microwave container with a lid, place cabbage with core side down and add 1/2 cup of water.
• Cover and microwave on HIGH (full power) for 10 minutes.
• Turn cabbage over and cook on HIGH (full power) for an additional 10 minutes.
• Cook each cabbage head separately.
• When cabbage is cooked, drain water and let cabbage cool slightly.
• Separate leaves carefully and set aside.
• Divide chopped onions in two.
• In a frying pan add margarine or butter, 1/2 of the onions and saute' until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes but do not brown.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together both cooked and uncooked rice, cooked and uncooked onions, ground beef, pork sausage, garlic cloves, dill weed, salt, black pepper and sugar and mix well until well blended.
• If cabbage leaves are too big, cut them in half along the rib.
• Spoon about 2 or 3 heaping teaspoons of mixture onto the wide end of the cabbage leaf.
• Bring the end of the cabbage leaf over the mixture, roll part way, then tuck or fold inward the ends to prevent the filling from falling out and continue to roll.
• Carefully place each cabbage roll in a single layer (with the end of the roll down), in a 9" x 13" oven-proof casserole dish.
• You will require 2- 9" x 13" casserole dishes.
• In a food processor or blender, process condensed soup and tomatoes until smooth.
• Pour tomato mixture over cabbage rolls until just covered.
• If the cabbage rolls are not covered with tomato mixture, add more condensed soup or water.
• Place 6 bay leaves on top of the sauce in each dish.
• Cover each dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 300 F for 2 hours.
• Maintain oven heat at this temperature so that the cabbage rolls do not burn.
• When cooked, remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
• Remove foil and serve while still hot.
• These cabbage rolls freeze well.
• You may also make small or petite cabbage rolls by cutting the cabbage leaves smaller and reducing the amount of filling.