Cabbage Patch Kids

I grew up in the age of Cabbage Patch Kids and never thought much about how weird the Cabbage Patch story was. I mean children hatching from a cabbage patch? That's pretty bizarre...

But the dolls were successful and I sure had my fair share of them. 

Wa Wa the Cabbage Patch Kid was my first doll and I loved her. She had a little patch of short blond hair, a pink outfit to match my own, and I think I dragged her pretty much everywhere.

I might even still have her in my old bedroom at my mom's house, just waiting for me to give to my child one day. Hopefully I didn't chew her up too bad...  

As much as I loved playing with my Cabbage Patch Kids as a child, I equally love playing with cabbage recipes today. 

I wonder if my current love of cabbage stems from my old love of the dolls?

Here's an easy recipe that could be served at Thanksgiving. It's got those deep autumn colours and the vinegar really gives it enough of a flavour boost to make it stand out on a plate full of family favourites. 

Braised Red Cabbage

2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced into strands
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, dwarf or thinly sliced

1. Heat oil on medium heat and sweat onions and garlic.

2. Add red cabbage and mix to combine.

3. Add balsamic vinegar, cover, and let cook until cabbage is at desired texture. I like my cabbage with a slight crunch so I cook mine for about 20 - 30 minutes, but you may want to cook yours for longer if you don't want a crunch.

4. Top with fresh basil and serve.

Will it appear on your plate this weekend?