Kielbasa was a staple at our house when I was growing up and when I was a busy mom raising my own children, too. Most often served with potato pancakes and homemade applesauce, this versatile sausage was always a winner.

I’m not certain when I first tried cabbage with kielbasa but I believe it was after sampling a savory soup with those ingredients at a friend’s house. It really hit the spot on a cold winter night.

Since then, I’ve experimented with these simple, homey and inexpensive ingredients in various ways so I was excited to stumble upon this recipe that adds the elements of roasting cabbage and tossing some crunchy rye croutons into the mix. Then there’s the savory vinegar-mustard sauciness to add some extra punch.

You can use pedestrian, everyday cabbage for this recipe but if you can get your hands on a head of savoy cabbage, definitely do that. It’s fancier, frillier and fluffier, and roasts up with crackly, crispy edges so very nicely. If you do use the more dense, plain cabbage, cut the wedges a bit thinner and allow for a bit more roasting time.

The measurements of vinegar and mustard can be played around with; I prefer more sauciness, not less. Another piece of advice, when eating this delightfulness, every forkful should contain kielbasa, a crouton and some cabbage. It goes down so well together.

And we have chocolate chip cookies – with extras – for dessert. I was gifted with a large container of whole pecans that I have been saving for an occasion and on that last snow day, I was ready for a special treat. (Walnuts are good too, but I beg of you – take an extra couple minutes to toast them.)

These cookies are the best straight from the oven (but don’t burn your tongue). If you are having them for dessert, and not in place of lunch, mix up the dough then bake the cookies after the table has been cleared. I like them best when they’re a bit underdone. Last piece of advice, have that glass of milk ready.

Cabbage with kielbasa and rye croutons

8 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 (2-pound) head savoy cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

2 cups rye bread cubes (1 inch)

1 (12-16-ounce) kielbasa, diced (1 inch)

4 tablespoons shallot, diced

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good amount of pepper. Arrange the cabbage wedges on the baking sheet in a single layer and scatter the bread cubes around the cabbage. Drizzle 2-3 more tablespoons of olive oil on the cabbage and croutons. Season with more salt and pepper. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the cabbage is charred on the bottom then flip the wedges over and stir the croutons. Roast for another 5-7 minutes, until the edges of the cabbage and the croutons are browned.

While the cabbage is roasting, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat then add kielbasa. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kielbasa is crispy on the edges, for about 9 minutes. Add shallot and cook 1 minute, stirring. Whisk in wine vinegar and mustard and simmer for another minute. Spoon kielbasa and sauce over the cabbage wedges and croutons.

Yield: 4 servings

The Cove Chippers

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Scant teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until browned and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to dry ingredients and beat until combined. Stir in chips and nuts.

Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to drop cookie dough on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes or until browned on the edges. Cool on baking sheets for a couple minutes then move to racks.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

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