Rainy days and simmering pots . . .

California is avoiding it's usual sunny adjective, these days, and rain has become our liquid sunshine! I'm happy about it as the drought has gone on long enough. The best part of rainy, cold days is cooking and baking. Yes, I cook/bake during the heat of the summer but it never smells quite as nice as when the rain is sheeting the window panes and the oven is keeping it warm inside.

I was inspired today! I had made my favorite marinara sauce for a Friday pasta meal and had two cups of it left. I decided to make chili! It has been simmering on the stove most of the day and rice is presently cooking in the microwave. Nothing like a bowl of spicy chili over rice with a generous sprinkling of cheese on top.

Thoughts of pasta sauce and tomato reminded me of a fun recipe.

Chocolate Cake with Tomato Soup

1/2 cup real butter, softened
1 1//3 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup water
1 can (20 3/4 ounce or there abouts) tomato soup
1 cup chopped nuts, your choice
1 generous teaspoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease adn flour a 9" x 13" pan.

Cream together buter and sugar. Add eggs, and beaut utnil fluffy. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix tomato soup with water. Add dry ingredients and soup mixture alternately to cream mixtures. Combine gently but well. Fold in nuts, spices, zest and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and bake approximately 30 minutes.

If you want to impress, ice with:

Cream Cheese Glaze
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix until smooth and spread on cake when just slightly warm.

All too true . . .

This quote struck me as very appropriate to our current state of affairs in our country.

"There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action."
-- Bertrand Russell