Ukrainian Prockus (Stuffed Cabbage - Low Carb)

This is a delicious recipe that came to the United States from the Ukraine with my maternal grandmother, Anna Buhal'tsev (Bell) Mersky. I have this recipe already posted on recipezaar, but I am making a few slight changes here to make this lower in carbs than the original.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Yields: 12 large meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 (16 ounce) cans jellied cranberry sauce (jelled not whole)
• 2 (16 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2  cups tap water
• 1⁄4 cup warm water
• 1⁄2 cup Splenda granular
• 1  cup white raisins
• 1  large green cabbage or 2  medium cabbage
• 2  lbs ground beef
• 1  egg
• 3  saltine crackers
• 1  medium onion (grated)
• 1  tablespoon ketchup
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine the cranberry sauce, tomato sauce, 2 cups tap water, and Splenda and bring to boil.
2. Reduce to a simmer and add white raisins.
3. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Core the head or heads of cabbage and place into large pot.
5. Cover with water and bring to boil.
6. Cover the pot and cook 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Remove from hot water.
8. Cover the cabbage with cold water and separate the leaves. I use only the larger leaves to go completely around the meatballs.
9. In a mixing bowl, place the raw ground beef, 1 egg, 3 saltine crackers that are soaked and squeezed dry, grated onion, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon ketchup, salt and pepper.
10. After mixing the meat mixture well, form into meatballs and wrap each meatball in a cabbage leaf rolling them closed, and place them into a deep roasting pan.
11. Cover with the sauce mixture.
12. Cover with a lid or heavy duty aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for an hour.
13. You can either serve immediately or freeze until needed.
14. NOTE: I usually make a double amount of sauce to use over mashed potatoes, because it is so delicious.