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).

As promised here is the cheese grits souffle that I make. It is not only delish but a beautiful dish. I would recommend making it with my changes it is much better, I have done it both ways, now only do it with the changes. Cheese Grits Souffle 1 1/2 c uncooked grits 1 # sharp cheddar cheese, grated 3 eggs* 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 4 c water 2 sticks oleo/butter* 4 tsp seasoned salt dash Tabasco Kraft garlic cheese roll 6 oz(this is my addition) Bring water to a boil and add grits slowly. Cook and stir over medium heat until grits have thickened (3-5 min). Add remaining ingredients while mixture is hot. Pour into well-greased 2-qt casserole and refrigerate, covered, till time to cook. Bake at 350 for an hour, uncovered I added one roll of Kraft garlic cheese ** *I used 1/2 stick less butter( it was a tad oily with the full amount)so 1 1/2 stick *I added an extra egg to help make it set up firmer, so 4 eggs and I use large eggs. And of course I had to add a bunch of Tonys cajun seasoning I saved some of the grated cheese and sprinkled it on top of the dish then I sprinkled some Tonys seasoning with herbs on top of that it gives it a beautiful color when done. I also sprinkled a bit of grated Parmesan on top too. ** Kraft no longer makes the garlic cheese rolls unfortunately but this is a recipe to make your own garlic cheese which can be used in this recipe or as a great cheese spread. Garlic Cheese Rolls 11/2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 pound processed cheese product such as Velveeta 3 ounces cream cheese 1 teaspoon seasoned salt Garlic powder to taste Soften cheeses and mix all together well. Shape into four rolls and wrap well in foil or plastic wrap. You could also use some fresh finely diced garlic and cream cheese too I would think. I saw some blogs that were recommending 3 ounces of Velveeta 3 ounces of smoked cheddar, grated 1 teaspoon of garlic powder I personally think it should have some cream cheese in it. the folks at Kraft said that the squirt cheese product called Easy Cheese Roasted Garlic Cheddar flavor, was actually the same exact product contained in the roll, 1 can equal to 1 roll. They also suggested using the above recipe to make it and add a drop or 2 of Liquid Smoke to the mix. if you have never seen the Kraft cheese roll it is really small and looked like this. this is a great blog about the Kraft garlic cheese rolls and how many people are upset it is gone and many suggestions for what they use. It is a very nice blog with some great recipes. Kraft Garlic Cheese Roll Substitute Hope yours turns out fabulous! I have been asked many a time to please bring that grits thing you make LOL

Colombian Turmada Potatoes (Papa Turmada) Allrecipes.com "This baked potato casserole is a typical dish from the northeastern Colombian state 'Norte de Santander.' The ingredients can be easily found which makes it easy for people outside of Colombia to enjoy this easy to make dish." ________________________________________ PREP TIME 40 Min COOK TIME 50 Min READY IN 1 Hr 30 Min  6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced  2 tablespoons vegetable oil  6 links pork sausage links, sliced  1/4 cup diced white onion  1/4 cup chopped green onion  1/2 cup diced fresh tomato  1 teaspoon ground cumin  1/2 teaspoon ground dried thyme  salt and pepper to taste  3 slices white sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch pieces  1/2 cup milk  1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese  1 cup grated Parmesan cheese  2 tablespoons vegetable oil  6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. 2. Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. 3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the sausage in the hot oil for 5 minutes. Add the white onions and green onions; cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, cumin, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. 4. Place the bread cubes in a bowl; pour the milk over the bread making sure to wet each piece. 5. Arrange about half of the potato slices into the bottom of the prepared dish. Spread the sausage mixture over the potatoes. Top with succeeding layers of the sliced eggs, about half of the moistened bread, the mozzarella cheese, the remaining potato slices, the remaining moistened bread, and finally the Parmesan cheese. 6. Bake in the preheated oven until heated completely, about 30 minutes

I searched the Internet forever before I finally found a recipe for my favorite Chinese food recipe. There was a little restaurant close to our house and once I tasted this, it was the only thing I ever ordered. It is SO delicious! Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you. After reading it, it's really pretty simple. WOR SHU CHICKEN 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut in half 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon dry sherry Sauce: 4 tablespoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons water 3 cups chicken broth, homemade or storebought (low-sodium is best) 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (optional) 3 tablespoons chicken fat or butter 2 teaspoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules Batter: 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon water Remaining Ingredients: 1 cup shredded lettuce 1/3 cup toasted, slivered almonds 2-3 green onions, finely chopped (green and white parts) Oil for deep-frying, as needed Sprinkle chicken with salt and sherry and marinate for 15 minutes. While chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce. Mix together the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan until smooth. Gradually mix in the chicken broth, mushrooms (if using), chicken fat or butter, soy sauce, and bouillon granules. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Let boil for 1 minute, and keep warm. To prepare batter: Beat together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, egg, and water until smooth. Coat each piece of chicken with the batter. Heat wok or a large skillet and add oil to a depth of 1/2-inch. Heat to 375 degrees. Cook coated chicken pieces in oil until they are golden, turning them once. This should take about 5 - 7 minutes. Drain the chicken on a tempura rack if you have one, or on paper towels. Cut the chicken diagonally into strips. Reassemble the strips into chicken breast shapes and place on a bed of shredded lettuce. Sprinkle with almonds and green onion. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve. Serve with rice.