This dish is so popular in Lithuania that it is considered a Lithuanian national dish, right next to the potato dumplings. The name of the dish translates "little pigeons" (balandeliai, in Lithuanian), and I don't have any idea why the stuffed cabbage leaves are called "pigeons". It is a true comfort food, flavorful, filling and delicious. That's a dish that warms up your heart. Everyone in my family loves it - my Lithuanian parents, my Lithuanian sister, my American husband, and both my half-American and half-Lithuanian boys. Since the recipe is being submitted to "Dirt Cheap Dinner" contest, it has to be very inexpensive. And it is - the big pot of these "pigeons" will result a dinner and a next day's lunch for at least 4 people (5 people in my case), and it will all cost less than $20. Way less. So make this for your family, and I'm sure they will all love it. Serve it with some boiled and buttered potatoes, some fresh dill, and of course, a generous dollop of sour cream. And if you, by any chance, happened to be one of those Lithuanians that have been living far away from home for way too long, you can also pop in that old Lithuanian CD, just to add the last bit of nostalgia to this absolutely perfect meal!

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