Ginger Tea

Being on a ginger kick means having a lot of ginger around the house to use up. I can only eat so many ginger-and-garlic stirfrys, so it's lucky I came across this recipe for ginger tea in this month's Better Homes and Gardens (I wasn't even in the dentist's office - through some twist of fate, I subscribe!). It's soothing for the stomach and the mind, too, if you ask me.

Ginger Tea

3-4 quarter inch slices fresh ginger
2 long lemon peels (2-inch each)
1 tsp honey (or more, or less, depending on taste and the size of yer mug)
1 sprig rosemary (if you have some around the house)

All of the above goes in a small tea pot or your big tea mug. Boil some water, and let the tea steep about 5 minutes, longer if you like a spicier flavor.

Better Homes and Gardens also recommended doubling or tripling this recipe, steeping a big pot of tea in a pot or saucepan, cooling it, then serving with sparkling water for a ginger seltzer. Haven't tried this, but my guess is if you doubled the amount of honey it would be divine. Like homemade ginger ale!

Chocolate Ginger Cookies

I made my favorite ginger snaps for friends this Christmas and then found myself craving more. In the search for something different, I scoped out these Martha Stewart cookies from her Martha Stewart Living cookbook. They are grown-up cookies, not too sweet, but full of molasses and ginger flavor and melty layers of dark chocolate. They're also sparkly and tea-sized. In short, perfect for the holiday cookie tin. I wish I had spied them earlier.



Chocolate Ginger Cookies

* 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
* 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
* 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar


Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift or wisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined. (I always make my own brown sugar by mixing molasses with regular sugar - try a teaspoon or two here with 1/2 cup white sugar, and mix together with a fork.)

In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.

Heat oven to 325°F.

Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; I used a melon baller for this. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes (I don't know if this is necessary - only if the dough gets really soft). Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Loaf, take two

Back when I first started my blog, about two years ago, I posted a recipe for pumpkin cranberry loaf. I used a great recipe from a little pumpkin cookbook that has since been lost in a move. Last month, I found another recipe in Gourmet magazine, and so I decided to give it a whirl. It's moist and spicy and dense and feels more cake-like than bread-like. So, to say 'Happy Birthday, blog,' make either one of these great pumpkin loafs and enjoy with a cup of tea!

You can find the Gourmet recipe here, and look back to December 2006 for the other.

Chard, Potato, and White Bean Soup

I made this recipe from the Times after spotting it last week while I was making my chard lasagna. It's really quite good. The broth is excellent. I cheated and used 2 1/2 cups canned beans instead of making them from scratch, but otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. Today is so stormy and windy that it feels right eating soup. As an added bonus, this dish is definitely "recession friendly," or whatever (I just call it cheap).

NB 1/20/09: I made this again last week and it's still delicious. I had no parmesan rind (alas) but it still tasted pretty wonderful. It IS recession friendly soup!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Apple

Today I made these pancakes, from Gourmet by way of Smitten Kitchen. I think this may be my new favorite pancake recipe. The lemon and sweet ricotta mix are lovely. I also feel like these must be healthier for you in some way than regular pancakes, even though they are loaded down with cheese and eggs. At least cheese and eggs mean protien, calcium, and that special enzyme that's in eggs! Regular pancakes mean carbs. Anyway, I'd highly recommend giving these a shot (especially if you have a mixer to help with the egg whites).

Chard and Ricotta Lasagna

I recently made this lasagna, from the Times healthy food column. It did turn out very savory, though I must say not as rich as most lasagnas. Is this a good or a bad thing? Depends on how hungry you are, I guess.

Lime Pie

With Independence Day behind us, it's officially summer. Time for a tart, refreshing dessert. My friend at On the Hob gave me this recipe a while ago and I've been meaning to try it ever since. Here's to July!



Lime Pie

Crust

About 10 graham crackers
5 tablespoons butter, very soft
1/4 cup powdered sugar

- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In food processor, break up graham crackers into pieces and whir until you have crumbs. Add sugar and butter and mix until the mixture sticks together.
- Turn out into a pie plate and gently press into the bottom and up about 1 inch on the side.
- Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and the bottom is solid.

Filling

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup lime juice (about 4)
zest of 1 or 2 limes
1 egg

- Wisk together milk, lime juice, zest and egg. Pour into baked crust and bake for 12 minutes at 350 F or until set. Cool, then refrigerate before serving.