Edna Mae’s Escalloped Cabbage

This is a version of a recipe from my husband’s beloved grandmother, Edna Mae. And that means just one thing: It is going to be splendidly delicious! All things from Edna Mae generally are. It’s a cheesy, satisfying cabbage casserole that’s perfect as a side dish with things like beef brisket or roasted chicken, and it’s also delicious served with a salad and a chunk of bread.

Warning: There’s an ingredient in this casserole that might be offensive to some. But it also might be delicious to others, so it all evens out in the end! Ha.

But seriously…this is delicious! You will love every bite.

First, par-boil some cabbage wedges! They just need a couple of minutes.

You don’t want them totally cooked and soft, just slightly tender.

Remove them from the pan, then slice off the hard core. I leave it on when I boil the cabbage so the wedges don’t fall to pieces.

Melt some butter in a skillet (nonstick works well!)

When it’s melted, sprinkle in some flour…

Whisk it around…

And keep whisking it until it starts to turn golden brown.

Pour in some milk…

Then whisk it around and let it cook until it’s thick, about a minute or two.

Then (warning!) just crack open a jar of Cheez Wiz (yes, Cheez Wiz! Edna Mae says so) and plop it right into the pan.

Now I know this is not the most beautiful sight in the world.

But it gets better here in a minute…promise!

Sprinkle in some salt and pepper and stir them in…

Then add some grated pepper jack cheese…

And stir it until everything’s glorious and ridiculous.

Butter a baking dish…

Lay the wedges in the pan…

And yep…you guessed it! Pour the luscious, velvety cheese sauce…

All over the cabbage.

Sprinkle on some paprika for a little color and flavor…

Then lay slices of jalapenos…

All over the top. I sliced the jalapenos, then cut out the seeds and membranes so they wouldn’t be overwhelmingly spicy. You can also used jarred jalapenos if you prefer! Or you can leave out the jalapenos altogether. The choice is yours!

Bake the casserole until it’s hot and bubbly and lovely! And the great thing about it is, you don’t necessarily have to serve it right out of the oven. If it sits for 20 minutes or so, I think it actually gets better and better.

And I know this is supposed to be a side dish and all…

But sometimes this really feels like a meal in itself.

Enjoy this, friends! It’s a blast from the past that’s stood the test of time.