By Nada Sewidan

Features Editor

Looking for a great recipe to make for that special someone? Or maybe to impress your parents

during family gatherings? Maybe you’re just sick of Top Ramen nights and fast food runs.

Whatever your reasoning, this recipe is almost guaranteed to rock the tastebuds.

Stuffed Grape Leaves is a family recipe passed down through the generations and is a popular

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dish that can be served as a main dinner course or as an

appetizer.

*Recipe can be altered according to one’s preference. Remove ground beef and beef broth for an

alternative vegetarian option.

Total Time: 1 hr

Prep: 30 min

Cook: 30 min

Yields: recipe feeds 6 to 8 people

Ingredients:

1. 1 pound grape leaves (Jar)

2. *1 pound of ground beef

3. 2 cups of rice

4. 1 can of tomato sauce

5. *1 cup of beef broth

6. 1 large onion

7. 1 parsley

8. 3 large red tomatoes

9. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

10. 2 teaspoons salt

11. 2 tablespoons of butter

Directions:

1. Chop onions, tomatoes and parsley (finely).

2. In a frying pan mix ground beef, chopped onions, parsley and butter; cook on medium heat

until beef is browned.

3. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to ground beef mix; let it cool.

4. Wash 2 cups of rice; drain water and stir rice in ground beef mix.

5. Add 1 can of tomato sauce (add a teaspoon of water to soften tomato paste).

6. Remove grape leaves from jar and soak in water (this drains excess salt from the leaves).

7. Lay the grape leaves down one at a time and add 1 tablespoon of the ground beef mix to each.

8. Roll the grape leaf once prior to folding both sides; continue rolling.

9. Wrap grape leaves until all ground beef mix is used up.

10. Layer grape leaves into large pot in a circular pattern.

11. Pour 1 cup of beef broth into the pot.

12. Cook on medium heat until broth comes to a boil; continue cooking on lowest temp. for 30

minutes.

13. Continue heating on low if rice is not fully cooked.

14. Cool and serve.