Moving on to Yogurt: Ginger Yogurt Loaf

Yogurt's next. But first, I'm finishing out ginger with a recipe my co-worker just gave me the other day when I was gushing about candied ginger at work.  It's a family recipe which I was honored to receive. 

She says she thinks a neighbor gave it to her grandmother, who gave it to her mother, who gave it to her.  She's younger than me, but my mom and grandmother never heard of candied ginger, so I'm impressed. 

I haven't made it yet, because we are on a little bit of a diet, but I will just as soon as there are others in the house to help us eat it. 


Ginger Yogurt Loaf
4 T. unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. molasess
1/2 c. minced crystalized ginger
2 eggs at room temp
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. plain yogurt (or buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter 9 x 4 loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper.  In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Stir in molasses and crystalized ginger.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.  Stir in flour mixture in thirds, alternating with yogurt and beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix until smooth.  Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.  Bake until cake tests done, about 45 - 50 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack.

Did you know - Ginger

• Ginger cultivation began in Asia, but spread to East Africa and the Caribbean.  It is the underground stem, or rhizome of the plant Zingiber.
• It was commonly used medicinally in China as a aid in digestion and to treat stomach upset, diarrhea and nausea for more than 2,000 years. It has been used to help treat arthritis, colic, diarrhea, and heart conditions. 
• The flesh of the rhizome has culinary uses in many Asian dishes.  In the West, it is often used in sweet dishes, such as cookies and bread, and in beverages, such as ginger ale.
• Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of 6 to 1, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger


http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm

Asian Salad Dressing.

This is my favorite Asian Salad Dressing.  I don't think I can claim this as an original recipe.  I'm pretty sure I took a recipe off of the Pioneer Woman and modified it some. 

Asian Salad Dressing.

3 T. Sesame Oil
3 T. Canola Oil

8 T. soy sauce

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 T. candied ginger, finely chopped

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper.  seeded and finely chopped.  

Yes, I know the picture shows 1/2 a pepper, but that's all I have right now.

 

Chop that baby up pretty fine.  It doesn't get cooked and you don't want to chock any one.

Stir the dressing well and set it aside to think about itself for a while. 

Now the salad.

1/2 a small head of lettuce.  Napa Cabbage is also good.  Or a combination of the two.

1/2 a small can of water chestnuts and a big handful of bean sprouts.

 

And just before dressing the salad.  1/2 a bag of ramen noodles, uncooked.  It gives you some crunch that is good.  Smash it up into little bits.  With a rolling pin or a meat mallet.  It's fun.

Oh, and throw away the seasoning packet.  I used to save the seasoning packet, thinking I might use it for something.  There is really nothing that little packet of powder is good for. 

Dress the salad and serve.  Just happened to have a piece of baked salmon to go on top.  Dinner.  

 

Homemade Candied Ginger

This stuff has a shelf life.  I just don't know what it is yet, because I'm using it pretty fast.  Ever since I learned I could make my own candied ginger, I've been on a Ginger-Thing.

Candied Ginger

1 lb unpeeled ginger.  Its one pretty large one or two smaller.  I've been weighing them in the store, 'cause like I know how much ginger weighs? 

Peeled and very thinly sliced as uniformly as possible.

  

Combine the ginger with 2 c. granulated sugar and 1 1/2 c. water in a large sauce pan or skillet. 

Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.  Stir every so often.  It gets darker in color and kind of curls up.  Most of the liquid evaporates.

Place pieces on paper towel to drain the liquid.  This was late in the evening about bed time, so it drained overnight and dried until morning.  

  

And there you go.  Store in an air tight container with a little bit of extra sugar in the frig until gone or for about 2 or 3 months, I'm thinking.     

Gingered Rhubarb Apple Crisp

2C. Diced Rhubarb

3 large apples, peeled and sliced

1 c. sugar

1 T. minced candied ginger

1 t. flour

Combine ingredients and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine the following.

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 oatmeal

2T. melted butter.

Turn rhubarb mixture into a sprayed 9 " square pan.  Spread topping over.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes.

I've been eating rhubarb all of my life.  The addition of ginger is new to me.  This is a unique and delicious.  The tart of the rhubarb, sweet from apple, and spiciness of ginger.  If there happens to be a little cream or ice cream around, that wouldn't be too bad either.

Moving on to Ginger: Ginger Rhubarb Jam

I'm a big fan of Ginger on so many levels.  Any food that has the potential to clear out your sinuses is fine with me. Go big or go home.

  

Before I found candied ginger and before I discovered I could make candied ginger, I kept left over ginger in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Now, my jar of candied ginger stays in my fridge.  Recipe coming soon.  But for now - 

Ginger Rhubarb Jam
4 c. fresh rhubarb, cleaned and chopped
3 c. sugar
3 T. candied ginger, finely chopped
2 T. lemon juice, from the bottle.  

Combine ingredients.  Allow to stand for about 30 minutes.  

Turn into a large sauce pan and bring to a slow boil at medium heat, stirring.  Cook until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Ladle into hot sterilized canning jars and seal.  Process using the boiling water bath method for 10 minutes.  If you are not familiar with the boiling water bath method of canning, consult a canning cook book.

Beautiful dark red.  Texture is lovely.  Of course, a little sweet, but the ginger is distinct.  This is going to be awesome over Tillamook Vanilla Bean Ice cream.  I'm very happy.
  

Ginger Green Bean Chicken and Rice

I just love ginger.  I love all of these ingredients. I'm getting a sauce that I really like.

1/3 cup soy sauce.

1/3 cup of white wine.  There was some left over from last night, really.  

1 T. Rice Vinegar.  I prefer rice vinegar in most salads and sauces. 

1/2 c. water and

2 T. Ketchup

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 cloves garlic or more or less to taste.

This ugly thing is ginger.  I love it.  I rub it behind my ears.  It makes me happy and I could use a little happy.

Peel the skin of the one end of it with a small paring knife, then grate it until you have one 1 T.  Put the rest in a baggy and put in the freezer for next time.  Use it again.

Mince the garlic.  This is my favorite way, but do what ever makes you feel good.  It's important to take your time and feel good. 

Squeeze and it comes out minced.  It's the simple things that do it for me.

I'm not ashamed to stand here and enjoy this for a minute.  I might have mentioned that garlic and ginger make me happy.  At least a time or two.  It all goes into the sauce. 

Mushrooms.  I quarter them, because I like the texture in the dish.  I really don't slice mushrooms much any more.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, but into bite size pieces.  I've mentioned that I don't buy this much.  Whole chickens are frugal.  The bone in pieces have more flavor in certain types of cooking, but for this recipe this is the thing.  

A good mess of green beans.

Papa is watching Lord of the Rings which will make him happy.   He hasn't given her too much ice cream, yet. I'm getting in my zone.  Should be a good night. 

In my cast iron skillet, 1 T. oil, heated to medium high.  Dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel and drop a third of the chicken into the skillet at a time, browning the pieces.  The brown crispy bits taste good, so take the time.  

Transfer the browned meat to a pie plate and add more until it's all cooked. Into warming drawer, you go, chicken.  

Any other T. oil heated in the cast iron and add the vegetables.  Cook on medium high, turning vegetables with a spoon. 

The vegetables start to brown.  The mushrooms start to sweat and soften.  The beans brown and soften just a little bit.  Be bold.  Keep at it until the beans start to get a little tender.  You'll still get a snap. Into the a pie plate and into the warming drawer for the vegetables.  And wait until the movie watchers are ready.

Now to finish.  But first a little story.  I didn't eat much Chinese or Asian style food until I was an adult.  I grew up in a small town. Not even a McDonalds, let alone much ethic choices.  But there was one place, the Bamboo Terrace.  We went there for Dad's birthday.  He ordered the same thing each time, a Tempura Fried Shrimp.  I remember it being a pretty chessy place, but the great thing about it was the koi pond.  I'd never seen anything like it, big gold fish swimming around.  We kids got to order pork chow mein and a Shirely Temple.  I got to have as much soy sauce as I liked.  Heaven.  I've always been a salt freek.  I love salty things.  But I've gotten off track.  

Put both the chicken and vegetables back in the skillet.  Pour the sauce over it and bring up the heat.  You'll need to thicken it. 

Corn starch and water whisked together.  Once the sauce starts to boil, pour a little in and stir.  You won't know how much the corn starch will thicken unless it's boiling.  Add some more until it's as thick as you want.

A pot of rice.  And remember to start another movie.  

Coming next, the 3rd in the Traditional Food is Cheap.   

More on Fresh Ginger

This is fresh ginger root.  It is not a local food, but together with a little garlic and soy, along with maybe lime, white wine, maybe brown sugar, other fairly ordinary ingredients, it can provide really huge and modern flavors. 

This piece of ginger was purchased by me at my local grocery story for $.39 today.  My next use of it, coming soon, will use about one-quarter of it.  I'll put the rest in a ziplock baggie in the freezer.  I'll use it again, 2, 3, 4 times, until either it is used up or it gets a little soft and squishy and I stop enjoying using it - for $.39.  And I'll buy another.  I love this stuff; it costs penny's, it provides that whole terriaki Asian flavor thing that is popular and that people pay money to buy in little bowls for lunch, chopsticks and all.  I'm told by wise people that Ginger provides health benefits.  I've currently got garlic growing in my back yard. 

Remember to experiment and expand your horizons.     

Asian Pork Roast

We've past our first full week with the "kids" staying with us.  This type of thing is never quite convenient for anyone.  In the old days, multiple generations lived together to help each other and take care of each other.  These days, everyone wants independence.  You can't fault it. 

But, Daughter in Law has done a fabulous job of feeding us all, her own crew plus Papa and I.  We've been grateful for her efforts to handle the domestic chores for so many.

The dog and cat are getting along fine.  The cat couldn't care less.  The dog cares a great deal.

My main contribution for the week has been Asian Pork Roast

1 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. wine

1/2 c packed brown sugar

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. fresh ginger, shredded
1 t. salt

1 large pork roast, clean and dry

Combine all but the last ingredient and pour into a gallon zip lock bag.  Place the roast in the bag and seal.  Place in the frig, turning the bag a few times, for 1 to 2 days. 

To cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the roast on a roasting pan and bake until internal temperature reads 160 or 170 degrees.

Meanwhile, pour marinade from the bag into a sauce pan and simmer slowly until the sauce thickens. 

The sauce is good poured over the roast.  If you happen to get it on the rice or vegetables it won't hurt you.

The next night I made Josh's barbecue sauce.  The recipe has previously been given. 

I cut the remaining roast into small pieces, added it to a large sauce pan with the barbecue sauce and simmered until the sugars slightly carmelized and it thickened.  We ate it on toasted hogey rolls with a big salad made by Daughter In Law.  Babies like it.

I had other photos, but they vanished under suspect circumstances, so you'll have to use your imagination. 

Oh, and I finished my wrap.  I took this picture to post it to the web site where I got the pattern.  Here it is if you are interested.  http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/60500.html?noImages=

It was fun to knit.  I've enjoyed wrapping myself in it.  It looks pretty nice sitting on Aunt Christine's quilt, if I do say so myself, and I do.    

Remember to learn your lessons when you see them or you'll be seeing them again.