Jenn’s Cook Book

This is an easy side with a mild flavor from the magazine Coastal Living. This recipe would be great with Chinese dishes or other spicy meals, like Chicken Paprikash. The ginger is this recipe is not very strong, but adds a hint of flavor. Mellow out with Ginger Recipe #6.

1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
2 1/4 cups water
2 cups jasmine or Basmati rice
4 slices fresh, peeled ginger
garnish: chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Combine coconut milk and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir in rice and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender and milk mixture has been absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove ginger before serving. Garnish if desired.

Here is a dessert recipe from AOL Food. This dessert combines apples, oranges and ginger to make a dessert out of couscous. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Ginger Recipe #5.

Sauce:
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp Triple Sec (orange flavored liqueur)

Couscous:
1 1/3 cups apple juice
3 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 tsp grated orange rind

Topping:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 apples)
2 tbsp raisins (or golden raisins)
2 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tbsp Triple Sec
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Additional toppings (optional):
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
mint sprigs

To prepare sauce, bring orange juice to a boil in a saucepan. Cook until juice is reduced to 1/3 cup (about 6 minutes). Stir in 1 1/2 tbsp liqueur.

To prepare couscous, bring apple juice, 3 tbsp butter, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually stir in couscous and orange rind. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.

To prepare topping, melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cook 1 minute. stirring constantly. Stir in apple and raisins, cook 5 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in ginger, 1 1/2 tbsp liqueur, and cinnamon.

To serve: Spoon about 1/3 cup couscous into dessert dish. Top with about 2 tbsp topping, 1 1/2 tsp sour cream (if using), and about 1 tbsp sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. Recipe will make 8 servings.

This recipe is from the cookbook Million Menus. The sherbet has a texture similar to a frozen slush drink, so I turned mine into smoothies. Cool off with Ginger Recipe #4.

1 ripe musk melon (cantaloupe)
2 limes
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white, lightly whisked
fresh or frozen strawberries

Peel, seed, and cut melon into small chunks. Juice limes. Combine melon, lime juice, and grated ginger into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.

Stir in sugar. Beat in egg white. Transfer to a freezer proof container and freeze for 6 hours.

Serve in scoops with strawberries.

To make smoothies (and avoid the wait time):

After beating in egg white, pour approx 1 1/2 cups of melon mixture back into blender. Add 3-4 large ice cubes. Process until ice is blended. Garnish with strawberries.

Strawberry-Melon-Ginger Smoothie: Add 1/3 cup milk and several strawberries, cut into chunks. Process in blender until smooth.

Once sherbet has frozen, omit ice cubes when making smoothies and add 1/2 cup hot water instead (to get the blender going).

Add other fruit as desired. Honey can be added or substituted for sugar. Beaten egg white is not essential to making smoothies.

This recipe, which I found at AOL Food, comes from Sunset magazine. Though it was good, I felt it tasted like a weak chai tea. Next time, I would include more spices. Here is Ginger Recipe #3.

1 quart milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 ground cardamom
8 Assam or orange pekoe tea bags (or 3 tbsp loose tea leaves)

Using a 3 to 4 quart pan, combine milk, 1 quart water, sugar, ginger, and cardamom over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Add tea and simmer, stirring gently, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand until tea is a reddish brown color, about 1 minute.

Pour through a fine strainer into a hot teapot or carafe. Serve with cinnamon sticks.

To make iced, Sunset magazine recommends replacing milk with water and using Darjeeling tea. Brew tea up to 1 day ahead, chill over night, and pour tea into ice-filled glasses.

To make tea spicier, like chai, add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 ground nutmeg and 1/8 ground cloves.

This tasty morning treat is featured in Taste of Home’s 2006 Cookbook, which is full of reader-supplied recipes. Give your regular coffee a spicy kick with Ginger Recipe #2.

6 tbsp ground coffee (not instant)
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp chopped crystallized or candied ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 cups cold water

Combine coffee grounds, orange zest, ginger and cinnamon in a coffee filter. Brew according to manufacturer’s directions using 6 cups cold water.

Serve coffee with cream and sugar as desired. Garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or additional orange peel.

Kick up the spice by adding 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp cloves.

Here is the first recipe for Gingerama. These mushrooms are a great side dish, or combine with soba or udon noodles and vegetables to create a main dish. Enjoy Ginger Recipe #1.

1 lb whole mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, finely grated
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp sesame seeds
green onions, optional

Rinse mushrooms under lukewarm water. Remove stems and cut into quarters.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add ginger, mix well, and then add mushrooms. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown.

Add teriyaki sauce and honey. Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until mushrooms are fully cooked. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss to coat. Cook for an additional minute to toast seeds and remove from heat. Top with sliced green onions as desired. Serve with hot cooked rice.

2 tbsp hoisin sauce (chinese barbecue sauce), plus more for dipping
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh, finely grated ginger
3-4 (1 lb total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
cooking spray
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups packaged coleslaw mix
2 tsp toasted (dark) sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat broiler (or grill).

Combine hoisin sauce, garlic and ginger in small bowl and mix well. Coat broiler pan with cooking spray and arrange chicken on top. Spread half of sauce on top of chicken and broil 6-8 minutes. Flip chicken over and spread other half of sauce on chicken and broil an additional 6-8 minutes or until chicken is done.

While chicken cooks, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add coleslaw and saute for 1 minute or until coleslaw begins to wilt.

Place coleslaw mixture in a medium bowl. Add sesame oil, salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Serve coleslaw mixture with chicken.

This is a recipe James found in the Grand Rapids Press (Wednesday, Sept 20th Edition). It originally called for grilling the chicken, but since I don’t have a grill I baked it:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup teriyaki marinade (preferably made with pineapple juice)
1/2 sesame oil
4 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
6 oz spinach fettucine
6 oz egg fettucine
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped green onions(as desired)

Preheat over to 350F

Place chicken in a glass container or sealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine teriyaki marinade, sesame oil, garlic, ginger root and pepper; mix well. Pour marinade over chicken and bake for 30-35 minutes.

*If grilling: use 1/2 marinade and set chicken in refrigerator for 1 hour. Prepare grill and remove chicken from marinade (discard used marinade but save used portion). Grill chicken over medium high heat until done and juices run clear when meat is pierced with a fork.

Cook fettucine according to package directions and drain. Toss lightly sesame oil and teriyaki marinade. *If grilling meat, toss fettucine with reserved marinade mixture.

To serve, place fettucine on platter and top with cooked chicken. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and scallions. Can be served warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Menu for Chicken Bora Bora:

Main Dish: Chicken Bora Bora
Side Dish: Fettucine (egg & spinach, or tri-color if available)
Side Dish: Steamed broccoli & carrots w/ mushrooms
Beverage: Hot apple cider served with cinnamon sticks (also good w/ caramel).

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp dry sherry (optional)
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs, lightly beaten
fresh ground black pepper

Combine water, chicken broth, sherry (if using), sugar and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly drizzle egg into soup, stirring constantly with a fork. Reduce heat to low and cook an addition 1 minute, stirring constantly. Ladle into individual soup bowls and top with fresh ground black pepper.

Yield: 2 servings

Veggie variety:
Add an additional 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 to 2 cups sliced mushrooms, carrots, onions and/or fresh spinach leaves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

from Baking: Easy-to-make Great Home Bakes

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 (1 stick) margarine, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsps ground ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsps baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2-3 cookie sheets with wax paper and grease lightly (molasses burns easily!).

Beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter and margarine until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat to blend well. Add molasses.

Sift dry ingredients 3 times, then stir into the butter mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in shallow dish. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, then the balls in the sugar to coat.

Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets and flatten slightly (they will spread out). Bake until golden around the edge but soft in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.