Baked cabbage, rice & black-eyed pea casserole

 Very tasty  loved it  good casserol! I love cabbage--and I love this dish!

Ingredients:
 One head of cabbage (fresh coleslaw works too)
2-3(8 ounce each) cans of tomato sauce*
1/4 cup of Ketsup
2-3 cups cooked rice
1 onion chopped
1/2-to 1 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 green bell pepper , chopped
1 or 2 tab cider vinegar (I like the extra--but go to your taste)
1 tab sugar
2 tsp of Worcestershire (I go by taste)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 teas powdered garlic
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke (I go by taste)
1 tab of olive oil
1, 15 ounce can of black eyed peas

Cream sauce:

1 tab butter
1 tab plus 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
salt to taste
2 cups almond milk (or what kind you prefer)
2 eggs--well beaten
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

In a large pot place the cabbage (cut in large chunks) and cover with water. Bring to a boil for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cut the cabbage into smaller pieces.

Meanwhile in a non-stick skillet place 1 tab olive oil and the onion and green pepper. Saute until tender adding the minced garlic near the end..Add the cooked Cabbage, tomato sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, salt and pepper, vinegar, sugar Worcestershire, black eyed peas, and heat for about 5 minutes until well blended.

Meanwhile cook some rice (you want about 2-3 cups of cooked rice). I use 3.

Place the cabbage mixture in a large casserole dish and mix with the rice (in the amount you desire). Add some liquid smoke (to taste).

Topping  Cream sauce: Cook your sauce. Melt butter in a pot, quickly mix in the cornstarch making a roux . Then slowly add milk (it is often better to nuke the milk a bit so it is a bit warm). Stir constantly at medium heat to medium high heat until the mixture thickens and starts to boil. Add salt and let it simmer about 1 more minute stirring it. Remove from heat.  Take the 2 eggs which you have already beaten and stir quickly into the sauce. Pour this over the casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 40 to 60 minutes or until top starts browning. I actually turned it up the last 6 minutes to 375 to help it brown up. you want the brown on top otherwise the topping can be soup like— you don’t want this 🤪

*note- adjust your amount of sauce- you don’t want it too watery or the top won’t cook right.

Serve---good with cornbread too.  Especially a one hour crock-pot cornbread: https://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2020/05/gluten-free-cornbread-for-crockpot.html