CABBAGE AND NOODLES 1/2 head of a normal sized green cabbage 1/2 stick unsalted butter, or a little bit more, if there is a lot of cabbage. (If using salted butter, decrease or eliminate 1 tsp salt listed below) [unsalted butter is just the standard at our house]. 1 Tbl sugar 1 tsp salt ground pepper to taste 1 cup small shell noodles (preferred, but elbows or similar sized noodles are acceptable) Slice the cabbage into thin strips (like you were making homemade cole slaw), getting rid of the core. Cut the longer strips in half. In a heavy bottomed 10" or larger frying pan, melt the butter over very low heat. Add the cabbage, sprinkling with sugar, salt and pepper. Saute over very low heat for an hour, maybe even a little longer, turning occasionally. The trick is to use low heat. The cabbage will slowly wilt and lose its water, and then slowly saute just a little and wilt some more. Don't rush it -- it is very easy to get impatient and turn up the heat. This doesn't make it cook faster, it just causes it to burn and stick to the bottom. Cook the noodles in salted water when the cabbage is almost done. Drain the noodles thoroughly and mix into the cabbage until well blended and all the noodles are coated with butter.