By DAVE KESSLER
Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted 

You probably have some nice heads of cabbage fresh from your garden and you have many options on how to use them.

There used to be a restaurant in Dayton, Ohio, and its sister restaurant in Sarasota, Fla., which made a wonderful Italian salad using cabbage instead of lettuce. The dressing was heavy with garlic and it was a popular item on their menu.

You may want to use your cabbage to make something as common as slaw. Lots of folks make their own sauerkraut, but it’s a labor-intensive task, although delicious.

When traveling in the past I used to stop into a Florida restaurant that had the house specialty sandwich, which was hot baked ham topped with hot boiled cabbage. These are easy enough to make at home. The Midtown on Main Street in Brookville, Ind., serves a wonderful slaw with a hot dressing and bacon pieces.

It goes perfectly with their wonderful fried chicken.

I personally enjoy cabbage au gratin now and then, and I think you will too. Here’s how to make it.

Salted boiling water

1 medium head cabbage, shredded

1/3 stick butter

1 can cream of celery soup

1/4 cup milk

1 cup grated American cheese

1 cup soft bread crumbs, buttered, or buttered cracker crumbs

Cook the cabbage in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain off the water and stir the butter into the boiled cabbage. Turn this out into a casserole dish.

Thin the soup with the 1/4 cup of milk and stir in the cheese. Heat this over medium heat until the cheese has melted and blended in with the soup.

Pour this over the cabbage. Top this with buttered bread crumbs or buttered cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until it’s hot and bubbly.

This makes a delicious vegetable dish to go with almost any meat entrée.

Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.