Here are last week's and this week's recipes. Enjoy!

"Mexican" Rice Pilaf

3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 pound sliced peppers
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cups long grain rice
16 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 pound roasted corn kernels (I used frozen)
water
salt

Heat oil over medium high heat in a medium pot. Add onions and peppers and cook until onions are translucent and wilted. Stir in garlic and rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice becomes fragrant.

Pour in tomato sauce, along with enough water to cover by an inch or so. Add corn and a generous sprinkling of salt. Bring to a full boil, cover and reduce heat to low, cooking for about 15 minutes.


Chocolate Gravy

I got this recipe from a southern woman's blog and upped the
chocolate. She listed the butter and vanilla as optional, which I
imagine is a legacy from the poverty food nature of the dish, but I see
them as necessary.

1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (you can use 2 Tbs. regular and 2 Tbs. dark if you like)
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a skillet, mix flour and cocoa and sugar. Turn heat to medium.
Slowly add the hot water, a little at a time. Keep stirring this paste
until the sugar dissolves.

Slowly add in the milk. When completely mixed, turn up the heat to
medium high.

Stir constantly until desired thickness is reached. Add butter and
vanilla; keep warm on low until the biscuits are done.
(For gravy that is less like syrup and more like pudding, use 3
tablespoons flour and use only milk.)

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen