I have had limited success with regular containers. The problem for me was that the containers dried out unless they were watered twice per day, however, when they were watered twice per day, too many nutrients were washed away. I switched to Self-Watering containers from Gardeners.com: http://www.gardeners.com They have many types of self-watering containers, but item #35-901 has worked the best for me. Self-watering containers keep your soil evenly moist without washing away any of the nutrients. Because of the even moisture combined with retaining soil nutrients, my self watering container plants are 2-3 times the size of my in-ground plants. The soil in self-watering containers needs to be able to wick moisture from the water reservoir, so I use the following mix for 1 self-watering container (40 qts). Approximately 20qts sphagnum peat moss and 20qts of compost.  A couple of cups of perlite  1/3 cup of blood meal (nitrogen)  1/3 cup of green sand (potassium)  1/3 cup of colloidal phosphate (phosphorus)  1 tablespoon of azomite  I also mix in some Limestone to counter act the acidity of the peat moss. I have also tried Container Soil and general purpose organic fertilizer. This worked well, but not as well as the custom mix. Good Luck and let me know how it goes. Fernando

I was at Elery's all weekend, so Cooper had a burger from McDonald's on Friday night after the three hour drive, I had some hummus and raw veggies. Saturday we got up and had fresh eggs (I took a dozen with me, I'm NOT eating those store bought things!) on toasted English Muffins, then went into Ann Arbor. I bought another mini-muffin tin at Homegoods to make the quiches go a little faster and a set of wooden "salad hands", hand painted in the Philipines, just because they were different than anything I'd ever seen. We went to Whole Foods and bought some artichoke/fennel/edamame salad and a couple of sweet potato latkes from the deli and a "made in Michigan" granola bar, then went to Trader Joe's, where we stocked up on Dubliner cheese, some peanut butter filled pretzels for the kids, the flax seed chips that I like. Supper was with his son and DIL and sometime in there we had pinto beans and cornbread. Sunday morning we had a late brunch, salmon patties, some of the salad from Whole Foods and the rest of the hummus. I started home and stopped at Horrocks where I bought two cases of cheap wine for Amanda's wedding reception in October, where I'll store it I don't know. Also avocados at 32 cents each, some fresh beets, mangoes at 2 for $1, celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, a head of romaine, a daikon radish, cauliflower and broccoli. Two hours later I stopped at McDonald's in Newaygo and got Cooper an ice cream cone and myself a Diet Coke, and when I got home I made a big salad. (Sigh) Very healthy, I wish I liked salad a little better. Cooper ate the last of the chicken in the fridge. Last night I left work and went home and made some chicken livers with bacon, steamed some broccoli and ate the rest of the salad. And now I'm caught up, but no pictures of anything... Annie

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by bri29 (My Page) on Thu, Jan 22, 09 at 20:24 There's a Good Eats episode on Ginger on my DVR right now. I'll check it out and see if there's anything good in there! I've not really cooked with ginger much, so I don't have a whole lot to bring to the table on this challenge. I'll see if I can come up with something and turn it into a T&T recipe. Bri -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jcrowley99 (My Page) on Thu, Jan 22, 09 at 21:20 Sigh, I am another person who is not fond of ginger. I'll peek back to see what everyone makes though, and to see what the next cookalong ingredient is. Interestingly enough, even though I don't like ginger, the only soft drink I like is gingerale. Does it count if I make something with that? My husband likes ginger, he also loves curry, and I've never tried a curry I like. I guess opposites do attract. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by karigraphy (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 1:25 I love ginger, especially the pickled ginger served next to sushi. Yum. One of my favorite ginger recipes came from my mother. She won the chicken portion of a BBQ contest with this recipe. My kids and DH enjoy it, too. GINGERED BARBEQUED CHICKEN BREASTS from Mom 1/2 C. ketchup 3 T. worcestershire sauce 2 T. peanut oil 1 T. honey 1-1/2 t. grated fresh ginger 1/2 t. dry mustard 1/2 t. chili powder 3 chicken breasts, approximately 1 pound She used the recipe as a BBQ sauce for chicken cooked on the grill. If baking in an oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wisk all the ingredients together. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brush half the sauce on top of the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes. Brush remaining ingredients, bake for 20 more minutes. I'm looking forward to trying some of the other recipes here, too. The first one I cut and pasted was the Japanese Chicken Noodle Bowl. Sounds like something I would love but only have had in a restaurant. Kari -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sheshebop (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 8:42 OK, I needed a simple recipe, and Sharon's pic of her Salmon with Marilyn's marinade really did it for me. I will definitely be making that marinade. However, I am going to use pork instead of salmon. I love salmon, but hubby is wishy washy. I can't get great salmon here. Therefore, I will make a marinated pork tenderloin. Still thinking about the salads. And Sharon, a picture truly IS worth a thousand words. Sher -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 9:01 Jcrowley you might try that gingerale marinated pork loin recipe I put a link to above. I mixed the gingerale with a bottled marinade and it was easy peasy and didn't taste overwhelmingly spicey, (or believe me, my dad would NOT have eaten it when I fixed it). I am another person who prefers gingerale to all other soft drinks. People know when I'm around they need to get gingerale--it's what I mostly drink. Nowdays I have to do diet gingerale. Here are two appetizer recipes I found while rummaging around my recipe box for something to serve. I am having so much trouble coming up with a dinner menu. Fish or any type of seafood is the logical choice to go with ginger carrot soup, but BF doesn't do fish. I may try Kari's mom's marinade on chicken drumsticks. Gingered Crostini and Pepper Spread (I got this out of some healthy living flyer from my health insurance company ages ago) 1/2 TBLSP olive oil (1.5 tsps.) 1 small jalepeno pepper, minced 1 tsp. mustard seeds 1 oz. package dried tomatoes or 12 dried tomatoes halves chopped 1/2 cup water 2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped 3 TBLSP chopped fresh basil or 1.5 tsp. dried basil 2 TBLSP fresh parsley (I think cilantro would be fab with this) Minced fresh ginger salt and pepper to taste Toast mustard seeds in oil until they pop. Add jalepeno, dried tomatoes and water. Cover and cook until tomatoes are plump. Remove from heat. In a food processor, process roasted pepper to rough puree. Add tomato mixture, process until smooth. Add seasonings. Crostini: preheat oven to 375. Cut 24 slices rustic style bread or baguette. Sprinkle with minced ginger root and parsley. Drizzle with olive oil Bake 8-10 min. Orange Hummus (I think this comes from the cookbook "Enchanted Broccoli Forest" by Mollie Katzen) 3 cups cooked chickpeas 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup tahini 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 tsp. salt (optional) 1-2 TBLSP cider vinegar 3 med. cloves garlic, crushed 1-2 tsp. tamari sauce 1/4 tsp. each: cumin, corriander, ginger, dry mustard, tumeric, paprika Combine all ingredients together in a food processor and process until smooth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 14:35 There's a brunch dish that I've wanted to try for years - "Indian Scrambled Eggs with Fragrant Rice and Minted Tomato Sauce" and I think this thread has inspired me to make it next weekend. There's onions and fresh ginger in the sauce, lentils and curry powder in the rice, and ginger and scallions in the eggs, plus many other spices. It will either be fantastic or disastrous so I'll wait to post the recipe in case it's the latter. A ginger recipe I use often is one posted in 2001 by Linda in Tennessee for a Japanese steakhouse - type ginger salad dressing. I like ginger dressing and it's the best I've tried. BENIHANA GINGER SALAD DRESSING 1/2 cup minced onion 1/2 cup peanut oil 1/3 cup rice vinegar 2 Tbs. water 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger 2 Tbs. minced celery 2 Tbs. ketchup 4 tsp. soy sauce 2 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute or until all of the ingredients are well pureed. These beans from Mollie Katzen's "Vegetable Heaven" have the flavor of Jamaican spice mixtures and can be made with either dried or canned beans. We eat this as a main dish rather than a side dish. FIRECRACKER RED BEANS (6-8 servings) 2 Tbs. olive oil 3 cups finely minced onions 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger 2 tsp. fennel seeds 2 Tbs. minced garlic 1/2 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt 1 cup dry sherry 2 Tbs. prepared mustard 1/4 cup ketchup 1 tsp. minced chipotle chiles 1 cup water 1/4 cup almond butter 2 Tbs. brown sugar 1/2 cup boiling water About 6 cups cooked small red beans or kidney beans (3 or 4 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained) Wedges of lime Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and fennel seeds, and saute for about 5-10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, add the garlic, allspice, thyme and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. Stir in sherry, mustard, ketchup, chipotles and 1 cup water. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Place the almond butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add the boiling water and mash with a spoon until it becomes a uniform mixture. Stir this into the sauce and cook uncovered over low heat for about 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the beans in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish or equivalent casseerole, and pour in all the sauce. Cover with tight-fitting lid or foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, still tightly covered, so the beans can continue to absorb the liquid. Serve hot or warm, with squeezable wedges of lime on the side. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by gellchom (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 16:40 LOL! I meant "2-3 pears." Sorry! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by prairie_love (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 17:02 Well, shoot! What am I going to do with all the pears I've peeled (thought I should get a head start on the peeling, paring, coring)?? LOL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jcrowley99 (My Page) on Fri, Jan 23, 09 at 21:42 lpinkmountain, Thanks for bringing that pork loin recipe to my attention. I missed that when I was reading through the thread. Did you use the whole bottle of Soy Vej? Did you still use the chopped onion? I think I can do that recipe! Yeah. I do have problems with using the marinade as a sauce, but that was another thread! Joanne -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Sat, Jan 24, 09 at 10:32 I mixed the marinade and the gingerale until I had enough to cover the pork loin halfway. I marinated it about 8 hours on one side and about 8 on the other. (I put it in before I went to bed and then turned it in the morning). As for a cooked marinade, yeah, I know that is controversial, but I boiled it for a good half hour to reduce it, so I didn't have a problem with it. To me, it was yummy. And me being mostly vegetarian, if I felt any hesitation about a meat product I would not serve it. You could always throw out the marinade and make some more by mixing fresh gingerale and Soy Vey (or any other kind of bottled marinade, or even use the ingredients in the recipe, they sound fab to me), and then reducing it to a sauce. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 7:55 Too many ginger recipes to try so I made the first one on Friday - Chinatown Soy Sauce Chicken from Molly O' Neill's New York Cookbook. I used a double sided fryer breast instead of the whole chicken. The only other change I made was to use 1/2 a star anise instead of a whole one. Even with a half, the anise flavor predominated so I would only use one pod next time. The ginger and garlic permeated the meat and the broth was not overpowering, despite having so many strong flavors. Sides were plain white rice with toasted pecans and fresh spinach sauteed in sesame oil and dressed with rice wine, lemon juice, and light soy sauce (recipe from the same book). It was a nice light ginger-accented meal and the taste was definitely better than my photography. LOL CHINATOWN SOY SAUCE CHICKEN 1 star anise 3/4 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup dry sherry 1 Tbs. honey 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 slices fresh ginger, smashed 1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 lbs.), well rinsed and patted dry In a nonreactive pot large enough to hold the chicken snugly, gently boil 1 cup water and the star anise, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the star anise. In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients except the chicken, and add the mixture to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, laying it on its side, and bring the liquid back to a boil. Cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer, basting frequently, for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken to the other side and simmer, basting frequently, for another 15 minutes. Turn once more, this time breast side up, and cook until golden brown, 15 minutes more. Remove the chicken and let cool to room temperature. Strain and reheat the cooking liquid and serve a drizzle over the carved chicken. Serves 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 9:15 The original recipe has you cooking a whole chicken for only 45 minutes?! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 11:13 Yes, but I think the key word is "snugly" because the cooking liquid should cover the chicken about halfway up the sides. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 11:22 It would have to be a scrawny little whole chicken to simmer for 45 minutes and be done. I think you were wise to go with the whole breast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 13:24 Christine, I wouldn't have been worried even if I'd used a whole chicken. I've made many recipes from "The New York Cookbook" with good results following the directions as written. With a book which won both the Julia Child/IACP and James Beard awards and specifically stated in the preface that every recipe was made and tested by either the author or one of her four assistants, I'd try the recipe before criticizing it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 13:47 I think of this forum as place for the free flow of ideas about cooking. My comments were not meant personally, as I think is clear. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 15:26 I do see that this thread is just for amassing recipes that use ginger, and not discussing each one. My original question actually was to find out if something was left out; it was for information. Then once we were discussing it I just said one more thing. I probably would not have said it about anything but chicken. It's so important for safety to cook chicken long enough. Most people here know to always check, and not go by the time in recipes, but not everyone is equally experienced. Tone of voice is missing in posts, so what sounded good-natured in my mind may have struck others differently. I know I sometimes think there's too much criticiam in some posts, and if I seemed to be doing that, I regret it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 16:09 With so many good recipes already posted, I'm still not sure what I'm going to make next Saturday. But I got a new hunk of ginger.... By the way, what is a hunk of it called? Nancy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by trsinc (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 18:28 I always call it a hand, but that's for the whole thing. You have part of a hand. That's my own personal vocabulary... lol, I don't know if that's accurate. I cut mine up and freeze it so I always have some available. Lars gave me that tip. It's much easier to pound into a paste after it has been frozen and thawed. Thanks Lars! This has been fun! I don't know what I'm going to make yet either but I'm getting there. I think two weeks is just the right amount of time to research, think, then shop and make. Kind of like looking forward to a holiday dinner. :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sheshebop (My Page) on Sun, Jan 25, 09 at 20:06 Cloudy, I, for one, did not read your comment as a negative. I thought you brought up a valid point, and then complimented the posted for making a wise choice. Hmmmm. I did not read any unpleasant tone at all. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by joanm (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 18:52 I'm ready. I picked Ina's Indonesian Ginger Chicken. It looks yummy. I also went out looking for the Gingerbread liqueur that I found over the holidays. It is seasonal but they still had a few bottles. I will be drinking gingerbread cookies for dessert. Gingerbread cookie 1 part gingerbread liqueur 1 part vodka 2/3 part kahlua 1 part 1/2 & 1/2 Shake with ice and strain into a graham-cracker rimmed martini glass. Yum!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 19:26 I'm having to totally revamp my menu due to not being in the mood to entertain and having a ton of food to use up in the fridge. I made soup this past weekend so I'm afraid I am "souped out" this week, so the ginger carrot soup is out. Here's what I'm likely making. Moroccan Vegetable Tagine from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian." It has ginger in the spice mix, I'll post when I can. Then I have roasted eggplant/red pepper dip to use up which I will probably mix with leftover ricotta and feta and some chopped kalamatas and serve as baked pasta. Then a romaine salad with a ginger dressing. If I'm in the mood for wine I have leftover merlot, so no ginger drinks, darn it. But I may have to get some of that gingerbread liqueur for the future! No dessert either. Without company there is no sense in me making anything sweet, I can't eat it up on my diet. If I end up wanting something sweet I have store bought ginger cookies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by trsinc (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 20:37 I keep changing my mind. I'm going to make this some day, at least, if not for the cook along. Although I'm not interested in the carrot and potato spaghetti at the end. HERB CRUSTED CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH HONEY- LEMON GRASS GLAZE Ming Tsai 6 (6-ounce) chicken breasts skin-on (2 for leftovers) 1/2 cup chopped flat parsley 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 6 scallions, sliced 1/8-inch Salt and black pepper to taste Canola oil to cook Wrap the chicken in plastic and pound very thin. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the herbs together on a plate and dredge the chicken with the herbs. In a hot skillet coated with oil, pan sear the chicken golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes a side. HONEY-LEMON GRASS GLAZE: Canola oil to cook 6 lemon grass stalks, finely minced, white part only 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1 large shallot, minced 1/2 cup Riesling or Gewurztraminer wine Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons lychee honey 1 tablespoon butter Salt and black pepper to taste In a medium-hot, non-reactive sauce pan, lightly coat the pan and sautee the lemongrass, ginger and shallots until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with wine and reduce by 80 percent. Add the juice, stock and honey and reduce by 50 percent. Whisk in the butter and check for seasoning. Puree with a hand blender to a smooth consistency. CARROT AND POTATO SPAGHETTI: 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into spirals with a turning slicer 1 large potato, peeled, cut into spirals with a turning slicer 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons butter Salt to taste In a large non-stick skillet, add butter and melt on medium-low heat. Add carrots and potato and sautee. Season with cumin and salt. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Keep heat on medium-low or the potatoes could burn. PLATING Place a small pile of the 'spaghetti'. Hide with chicken paillard and glaze the top with the sauce. Garnish with lemon zest. Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by canarybird (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 21:09 I've just had a change of ideas because I bought some lovely spring onion at the farmers' market the other day and have some little chicken tenders in the freezer. I think I'll make my version of Teriyaki Chicken and stir fried vegetables, using Marilyn's Gourmet Sauce with fresh ginger for the teriyaki. It's a really delicious dish. I had it once in Canada at a restaurant and had to make a copycat recipe so this is it: Teriyaki Chicken & Stir Fried Vegetables over Rice For 3 servings..... Ingredients:....quantities are variable 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite-sized strips 3/4 cup green bell pepper - finely chopped 3/4 cup red bell pepper - finely chopped 1/2 cup white part of spring onion bulb - sliced finely 1/2 cup grated carrot (optional) 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 cup fresh or frozen heads of broccoli sliced & chopped 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce for marinade plus more for drizzle over when serving basmati rice - 3 cups cooked (200 grams raw) or 1 cup cooked rice per person 3/4 cup sliced green stalk rings of spring onion - for garnish only olive oil for cooking salt & pepper 1. Put 1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce in a small glass bowl and put in chicken pieces to marinate for 30 to 60 minutes. Turn pieces and spoon over sauce from time to time. 2. Chop and prepare vegetables, putting all except green onion rings into a bowl. Put 2 TBS olive oil into a large non-stick frying pan or wok over medium heat and when hot, add the vegetables from the bowl. Stir constantly with wooden spoon until they are cooked enough but not overdone....10 to 12 minutes. Add more oil as needed. Turn off heat and put lid on pan to keep warm. 3. Put water on for cooking the rice. 4. When chicken has marinated, drain and reserve half the marinade, putting the other half of it together with the chicken into a second non-stick frying pan and cook, reducing the liquid and browning chicken pieces, about 10 minutes. Then add the reserved marinade, cooking for a couple minutes more until it has formed a reduced syrup around the chicken. Drain cooked rice, add butter or oil, season to taste with salt & pepper. 5. Spoon chicken and sauce over vegetables, stir and season with S & P. Serve over rice, drizzle with more Teriyaki sauce and garnish with green spring onion rings. SharonCb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER//// clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by canarybird (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 21:11 PS Nancy....I forgot to add this....that a hunk of it is usually called ginger root, or a piece of ginger root. It grows well here in our garden but I usually buy it in the market. S. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by dixiedog_2007 (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 21:57 I haven't made up my mind yet on what I am going to make but I guess I better make a decision soon huh? LOL! We are going to a concert with friends on Sat. night so we will have dinner at our house first and then go to the show so I probably won't post a picture until Sunday morning. Everything that has been posted so far sounds good and Sharon that dish looks wonderful! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lindac (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 22:44 I think a gingerbread cookie would be a lovely nightcap. And yes, Cloudy....45 minutes will cook a 3 1/2 pound chicken perfectly....I find most people waaaaay over cook chicken, thereby the frequent plaint "I don't care for white meat, it's so dry." Try it....you might be surprised. Linda C -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lakeguy35 (My Page) on Tue, Jan 27, 09 at 23:29 Some great lookin' recipes and ideas here for sure! I don't have any to add to the list as the one or two I had in my files have already been posted. I'll admit that I never used Ginger much until finding this forum but the recipes I have used have been great. I'll have to pass on this first cookalong due to a Birthday Party Saturday night and the SB on Sunday. Saving these recipes for sure....might do something on Friday or the following week and share it with y'all....depending on my crazy work/life in general schedule... David -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 8:32 Here's the tagine recipe (which I will probably make either in my crockpot of roast in the oven) Pearl Couscous Tagine (from Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything Vegetarian" cookbook) 2 TBLSP extra virgin olive oil 1 onion chopped (I'll probably use red for color) 2 cloves garlic minced One 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground tumeric Two three inch cinnamon sticks 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots, dates or raisins 1 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomato (about 1 pound whole, preferably peeled and seeded, or drained canned ones) 2 cups vegetable stock 1 cup cooked canned chickpeas 2 med. carrots, peeled and cut into bit sized chunks 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized chunks 2 zuchinni, cut into bite sized chunks (I'll probably use yellow summer squash, for the color) Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup pearl couscous Note: I'm also probably going to add peeled and diced butternut squash. Put oil in a deep skillet with a lid over med. high heat. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 5 min. Add the garlic, ginger, and other spices; cook, stirring often until fragrant, about 2 min. Add the dried fruit, tomato, stock, chickpeas, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, etc., and a large pinch of salt and a good amount of pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are just tender. (The dish can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring it to a simmer before proceeding.) Add the couscous and cook until al dente about 10 min. It should have a stewy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or store, covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and then reheat. Notes: sounds like this is like most pasta dishes--tastes best the next day. Since I'm serving this with pasta, I am not going to add the couscous and all that broth--I'll do mine in the crockpot or roast in the oven. Ginger Vinagrette (from the same cookbook) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped in a blender 1 TBLSP sherry vinegar (I will use rice wine vinegar) 1 TBLSP freshly squeezed lime juice 1 TBLSP water (I might use more sherry vinegar, as it is mild) Salt and freshly ground black pepper (Optional) 1 large shallot, minced (I might use some scallions I have languishing in the fridge) Note: with this vinagrette, I might add just a drop of honey for my taste. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 10:37 I haven't had much time for the forum, lately, but the time I've spent here I've missed this thread until today. We're going out of town Sunday, so I don't know if I'll have time to participate completely. I'd like to do the dinner Saturday night, but the follow up on Sunday I'll miss, and that's at least half the fun. Oh, well. The Firecracker Red Beans that Ruthanna posted looks good. I may try that. So does the couscous recipe. They all sound good, actually. I'll have to research and see, but I don't really have a T&T recipe featuring ginger that hasn't already been mentioned, like the carrot ginger soup and the gingerbread recipes. I might try to do something with tofu. Do y'all think one of the marinades posted above would work with tofu and grilled? I'm thinking of trying something like that. Sally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by susytwo (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 10:52 This is a favorite of my DS. Gingered Spaghetti Squash Cut a spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and place face down in baking dish with a few tablespoons of water. Bake in 375 oven till strands are "al dente" (~45 minutes). Spoon strands out carefully and toss the hot squash with 2 TB butter, 1 TB honey and 1/2 TB minced ginger. Salt and pepper to taste. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 14:10 I have a question about that red bean recipe, Ruthanna, or anybody. Do you have a suggestion for a substitute for the dry Sherry? I don't have more than a couple of tablespoons left, and don't want to go buy some at this time. I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks I just might try tonight, as I won't have time to do it on Saturday. It's from Vegetariana, by Nava Atlas. I'll let y'all know if it's a winner or not. Gingered Rice and Apple Stuffed Squash 2 medium acorn or butternut squashes 3/4 cup raw brown rice 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, chopped 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and slicd 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans 1/2 cup light cream or milk 1/4 cup dry red wine 2 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons honey 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, more or less to taste 1 teaspoon good curry powder 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup grated mild white cheese, optional Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) Cut the squashes in half, place them cut side up on flat baking sheets, and cover them with aluminum foil. Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender. In the meantime, cook the rice with the soy sauce added to the cooking water. (The cookbook doesn't indicate how much water, but it's usually 2 1/2 times the amount of rice, so this would be somewhere around 1 2/3 cups water for 3/4 cup rice???? I'd just follow the directions on the rice package.) When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp, leaving about a 1/2 inch (1 1/2 cm) shell of pulp all around. Chop the pulp and set aside. Heat the butter in a large skillet until it foams. Add the onion and saute over moderately low heat until it is translucent. Add the apple and saute until it softens, then add the squash pulp, cooked rice, and the remaining ingredients. Stir together and remove from the heat. Stuff teh squash halves with the rice mixture, arrange in lightly oiled baking dishes, and bake for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Sally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 14:23 Sally if it is good it might end up on my family's Thanksgiving menu! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by terri_pacnw (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 15:41 I haven't looked into this thread in a while...with all the recipes here..you could definately have ginger in every course of the meal! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: Cookalong #1 --- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Wed, Jan 28, 09 at 16:40 Sally, I have only used the sherry when I've made it but if I didn't have any on hand, I'd probably substitute 1/4 cup of dark rum and 3/4 cup of water for the sherry instead of a different variety of wine. I did the C+P to bring this thread back... Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #2------------------GARLIC Follow-Up Postings: o RE: Cookalong #1 --------------------- GINGER clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Nov 9, 09 at 8:48 I have to go to work...will try to work on this from there...or when I get home. Nancy

My go-to's are Joy of Cooking ... I used to be afraid of it lol but then I realized it is full of basics and quick-n-easy meals, as well as more detailed instructions and recipes ... And Pease Porridge Hot, one of those fundraiser books. It's from our "drop-in center" for young children, so some of the recipes are very family-friendly and busy-mom-fast ... And Menu Mailer from Saving Dinner! Weekly menus with shopping list and recipes saved our mealtime from "mom, are we having chicken or fish with the rice and peas tonight?", words spoken by my 7-year-old. And now I can improvise and cook-on-the-fly. Oh, that 7-year-old is now 21, and on moving into his apartment he said he was intimidated to cook because of having two parents who are good cooks. Me? Wow! I gave him a couple of Menu Mailers.