Cabbage Roll Casserole

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, breaking the beef into crumbles as you cook. Add the garlic, and cook for one minute longer. Drain excess grease. Editor's Tip: You can skip the draining step if you use lean ground beef or ground sirloin.

Stir in one can tomato sauce, dried thyme, dill, sage, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for five minutes.

Stir in the cooked rice and bacon. Remove the mixture from heat. Editor’s Tip: Now’s a good time to taste the meat mixture and adjust the seasonings to taste. Everyone’s taste buds are different, so adjust the salt based on your personal preferences. If the mixture tastes a little flat, consider adding a splash of red wine or cider vinegar to perk up the flavors.

Layer one-third of the cabbage in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture. Repeat the layers once.

Top the casserole with the remaining cabbage. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover the dish, and sprinkle with the cheese. Continue to bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand for five minutes. If desired, sprinkle with coarsely ground pepper. Serve.