SHRIMP CREOLE
1 cup rice, preferably brown
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. oil
1 small onion, minced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 pound fresh or frozen shrimp
Cook rice in 2 cups boiling water until tender, about 25 minutes for white rice, 40 to 45 minutes for brown. While rice is cooking, saute onion and celery in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, spices and stir to blend. Add shrimp and heat through. Remove the bay leaf before serving over rice.
GINGERBREAD CAKE
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1 cup mild molasses mixed with 1 cup hot water
Optional accompaniment: non-dairy whipped topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Beat together the shortening, sugar, and water using an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. In 3 batches, alternately beat in the flour mixture and molasses mixture at a low speed until smooth. Pour batter into a greased 9 X 2 inch square baking pan and smooth the top.
Bake cake in the center of the oven until a tester comes out clean, about 45 to 55 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack. Serve cooled with whipped topping or dusted with powdered sugar.
*cake keeps, covered, in the pan at room temperature about 2 days. May also be frozen.