This rather simple rice recipe is remarkably satisfying. It is good with vegetables, or shellfish, or anything you like with it. As written, it is good for olive oil and wine days, but you may substitute a fasting friendly oil for the fasting seasons, Wednesdays or Fridays.

2 cups white rice (any type you like, though it will affect the texture - we tend to use a shorter grained Egyptian rice)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 medium, fresh ripe tomatoes
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
4 tablespoons tomato paste
6 tablespoons olive oil or fasting friendly oil
4 cups vegetable broth OR 4 cups hot water and 2 vegetable stock cubes
freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

If you do not have vegetable broth, dissolve the stock cube in hot water.

Place the tomatoes and red pepper in a food processor or blender. Process until a relatively smooth purée is made. Set aside.

Put the oil in a wide pot over high heat. When oil warms up, sauté the chopped onion and garlic for a couple minutes. Then add the tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula, so that the tomato paste releases its wonderful aromas and doesn't burn.

Add the puréed tomatoes and peppers to the pot. Add the paprika and the oregano, then the water (or broth) into the mixture. Stir and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

When the water starts to boil, lower the heat to very low and add the rice. Stir to combine it with the sauce. Place the lid on top of the pot.

Simmer the rice in the sauce until all the water is absorbed. You will need about 15 minutes. The heat must be very low so that the rice and the sauce won’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes with the lid still on the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary, fluffing the rice to serve.

Depression Era Wacky Chocolate Cake

This is such an oddly made cake, but it really does taste good. The frosting makes it, though. Without the frosting, it is a little flat. We have often served this cake (as well as two or three other cakes) as a birthday cake during Lent.

Dry Ingredients:
3 cups pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup safflower (or other light) oil
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking pan with nonstick coconut or avocado spray. Mix first 5 dry ingredients in the prepared pan (flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt).

Make three depressions in the dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one of the smaller depressions. Pour the vanilla extract in the other smaller depression and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 40 - 50 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.

Cool completely before frosting (if using). You can also just sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Chocolate Coconut Frosting 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix 2 cups sugar, cocoa, milk, oil and vanilla in a large bowl with stick blender, or in a stand mixer. Scrape sides to fully incorporate the sugar. Add the remaining sugar, gradually, mixing over medium speed until sugar is fully blended.

Labels: Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 5:47 PM