Triple Ginger Cookies Epicurious Two hours ago I was about to crawl back into bed, since Christmas hugs and kisses always seem to lead to New Year's colds and flu. But then I made my second batch of Alice Medrich's amazing triple-ginger cookies and a miracle happened: I'm well (almost). This recipe, in her enticing new "Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies," calls for no less than three-quarters of a cup of diced crystallized ginger plus two tablespoons of minced fresh ginger plus two teaspoons of ground ginger. Talk about a decongestant. I thought I was imagining things, but I see in the late Maggie Waldron's great "Cold Spaghetti at Midnight" that ginger is good for nearly anything that ails you. It's famous as a stomach soother (my in-law equivalent hates the crystallized kind because she remembers it as a seasickness antidote on whale-watching trips), but apparently it will also "curb flatulence." And it does help with colds and flu, Waldron says, prescribing a tablespoon grated into a warm cup of water to beat a cough and a few slices to be chewed to sweat off a fever. I was fine with raw cookie dough. (The best detail Waldron offers is that pharmacists in the 16th century (presumably in Europe) were "given a monopoly on gingerbread after it was decided that it was actually a drug made from ginger. Angry grocers fought back and eventually won the right to sell it, but the memory of the furious battle can be found today in fairy tales where the wicked witch almost always lives in a gingerbread house.") ALICE MEDRICH'S TRIPLE-GINGER COOKIES 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1 stick still-warm melted butter 1 large egg 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup dark molasses 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 3/4 cup crystallized ginger cut into 1/4-inch dice Arrange racks on upper and bottom third of oven. Heat to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices and whisk to blend well. In a larger bowl, blend butter, egg, sugars, molasses and fresh ginger. Blend in dry ingredients and crystallized ginger. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the second half-cup of sugar. Arrange 2 inches apart on non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake about 10 minutes, until the cookies puff and deflate, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through for even baking. Cool on racks. Store in an airtight container (they seem to get stronger over time).

This recipe has rave reviews. A fast, creamy pan sauce dresses up these simple seared pork chops; serve them with rice or noodles to soak up the sauce. Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce (Fine Cooking) Eight 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork chops (about 3 oz. each) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour 1 Tbs. unsalted butter 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed 1/2 cup dry white wine 3/4 cup heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2 1/2 cup lower-salt chicken broth 1/4 cup stoneground or country-style mustard Season the chops lightly with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Put the butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 4 of the pork chops and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a serving platter and tent with foil. Repeat with the remaining chops, adding another tablespoon of oil to the pan if necessary. Pour off any fat in the pan, add the wine, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium high and boil until the wine is reduced to about 2 Tbs., 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cream, chicken broth, and mustard and boil until reduced to a saucy consistency, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the pork and any juices to the pan, turn to coat with the sauce, and then transfer back to the serving platter. Drizzle any sauce remaining in the skillet over the chops and serve.

SMOKED SALMON DIP (Foodgawker) 8 ounces smoked wild Alaskan salmon (use hot smoked, aka "kippered" salmon, not lox) 4 ounces cream cheese � cup sour cream � cup mayonnaise � teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce 2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional, but they add some nice texture)* 2 teaspoons cream horseradish 2 teaspoons finely chopped dill, plus extra for garnish (or fresh chives) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1. Break the salmon into small pieces, discarding skin and bones. Set aside. 2. Place the cream cheese in a medium, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave on high, 30 seconds or until softened. 3. Add all remaining ingredients (except salmon) to the cream cheese and stir to combine. Add flaked salmon and using a rubber spatula, fold into mixture until thoroughly coated. 4. Place in a serving dish, and garnish with extra dill. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. May be made 1 day in advance. Serve on pumpernickel bread squares, crackers or flat bread. *I would used diced jicama or water chestnuts instead of nuts.

another great one dish meal, this is called Death Chicken because so many people make it and take it to the home of the family when there has been a death. To me it is called Death chicken because it is to die for and you can eat so much you darn near keel over! Death chicken Line a 9 X 13 pan* with 6 or more slices of uncooked bacon ( I use the thick sliced and prefer the one with pepper edge). Pour a cup of uncooked rice over the bacon. On top of the rice put some chicken pieces, skin on (I have made it with boneless skinless too). Salt and pepper the chicken a little bit and sprinkle a little paprika over it. Then whisk together one can of cream of chicken soup(I use the chicken and mushroom cream soup) and 1 cup of water, adding a little bit of garlic salt, a pinch of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of oregano, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of dried parsley flakes. Pour all that over the chicken and cover the whole deal with HEAVY foil. Cook it at 300 degrees for 2 hours, with no peeking. (I kind of lift the chicken pieces and let some of the soup mix get up under there too) * I spray my dish with pam first