Step 1: If you are buying a head of cabbage, start by shredding it (shred at home to save money). Place the cabbage in a pot, add 1/4 cup of water, set on medium heat, and slowly cook it until soft. Mix the cabbage every 5-10 minutes.

Step 2: While cabbage is cooking, start cooking the rice. Use the recipe on the package.

Step 3: Dice the onions and start sautéing on medium heat while the cabbage and rice cook. When the onions are translucent and soft, they are ready. Remove 1/4 cup of sauteed onions for the red sauce.

Step 4: While cooking the cabbage, rice, and onions, shred the carrots. Add the carrots to the onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until soft. Turn off the heat.

Step 5: Once cabbage, rice, onions, and carrots are done cooking, place into a bowl. Allow the ingredients to slightly cool.

Step 6: Meanwhile, prepare your red sauce. Add tomato paste, garlic clove, salt, honey, flour, and water to a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to the same pan you used to saute the onions and carrots. Add the 1/4 cup of sautéed onions. Simmer the red sauce for 5-10 minutes to thicken it.

Step 7: Finish the cabbage roll meatballs while the red sauce is thickening. Add salt, crushed garlic, and ground meat to the bowl with sautéed and cooked ingredients (cabbage, onions, carrots, rice). Mix all the ingredients very well. I like to mix with my hands using gloves. It is efficient, and you can combine the ingredients very well.

Step 8: Prepare a casserole dish or two and a cookie scooper. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scooper. Scoop meatballs into the casserole dish. Depending on how much the cabbage is cooked down, you may get about 25-30 meatballs.

Step 9: Pour the red sauce over the cabbage and meatballs. Place into the oven at 375°F and bake for 60-90 minutes. 

Step 10: Enjoy the fruit of your labor! Add sour cream on the side (traditional way to enjoy cabbage rolls).