I'm forever finding dried ginger in my fridge. Not good dried ginger that you pay a lot of money for but ginger that was once pink and fleshy and juicy that has now become an ugly, withered, rock hard root. I was told that I should freeze the fresh ginger but I hated the texture of the previously frozen ginger - watery and fibrous at the same time - so I was left with petrified ginger.

If you suffer from the same problem, take the root and shave it with your microplane. Even the oldest ginger shreds easily with the microplane and the dust-like particles re-hydrate instantly. Be aware - this tastes like fresh ginger but is more concentrated so cut down the amount you put in accordingly.

This is a simple recipe (lots of small steps, don't be intimidated, I just like to break things down into their simplest possible components) where the end results look really impressive.
Gravy is one of those things that takes literally no time (the meat has to rest anyhow) and makes people think you slaved over the stove. This is great for serving to people you want to date, parents of people you are dating, or people you need something from. This is not great for dispelling accusations of false modesty because no one believes that it is simple to make.

HERBED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH GRAVY

• 2lb pork tenderloin, de-boned, and tied nicely (you can -and should!- get the butcher to do this for you
• 1/2 c. salted butter.
• 1 tbl dried thyme
• 1 tbl dried rosemary
• 1 generous tbl whole black peppercorns
• 1 generous tsp salt (smoked salt if you have it)
• 1 c chicken stock
• 1/3 c. dry sherry (or, in an emergency, white wine)
• 2 tbl flour

Preheat the oven to 425F

Take all the spices and run them through a spice grinder until they are uniform in size

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and, when it starts to foam, add the spices

Rub the tenderloin with the spice/butter mixture until it is well covered on all sides and place it in a roasting pan. Ideally the roast would be elevated from the bottom of the pan by a low rack but this is optional

Roast the tenderloin for ~22-28 minutes per pound. I prefer my pork on the pink and moist side so I cook it closer to the lower time frame. The important caveat is that I know where my pork comes from, can see the pigs running around being healthy, and can watch them being cleanly and humanely slaughtered. If all of this is not true for the meat you consume, you should WITHOUT FAIL cook pork until it is 160F in the center. This is closer to the 28 min/lb time and will result in some dry pieces towards each end of the tenderloin.

Let the roast rest for 10 minutes out of the oven. The meat will continue cooking during this time. Why do we let the meat rest? I'm so glad you asked! Ovens are unkind to meat and force juices along the path of least resistance in the meat resulting in pockets of dryness and pockets of sogginess. When we let roasts rest, the heat evens out, the pressure within the meat diminishes, and the fibers are able to hold more water. The juices in the meat distribute themselves more evenly and it makes for a more evenly juicy roast.

While the roast is resting, scrape all the pan juices into a heavy bottomed sauce pan. If you happen to still have the one from melting the butter, great! If you already washed that pan, that is fine too.

Add the chicken stock and the sherry to the pan juices and bring to a simmer

Put the flour into a small bowl and add one tablespoon of the boiling mixture to the flour and stir until evenly distributed.

Continue adding tablespoons of liquid to the flour mixture and stirring until well combined after each addition

When you have a brown soup the consistency of chowder in the small bowl, add that mixture to the simmering pan juice/sherry/stock mixture, turn up the heat, and cook a few minutes more until well combined and somewhat reduced.

Remove the strings from the roast and slice into ~1/2-1 inch thick sections, place on serving platter, and allow guests to add gravy to taste. This fast and easy gravy does not make enough to make a good presentation in a gravy boat so consider serving from a small pitcher

Loosely adapted from James Beard and The Joy of Cooking

This recipe looks festive and and is a nice combination of sour and savory. I originally made it because I needed to use up huge amounts of spinach from my farm share but I've made it several times since then because it is so good. Here I made it with tofu but you could make it with chicken or beef just as well (I'd cook the meat separately, though, instead of tossing it in raw at the last moment the way I did the tofu). I used chicken stock but you could do mock stock or vegetable stock to make the recipe fully vegetarian/vegan.

THREE COLOR VEGETABLES WITH PEANUT SAUCE

• 2 Tblsp peanut oil
• 1 large red pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 large onions, corsely chopped
• 1.5 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. peanut butter (please use natural peanut butter and not the yucky stuff with sugar and extra oil added!)
• 3 Tblsp cider vinegar
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp (or to taste) of crushed, dried Jalepeno
• 2 lbs fresh spinach, stems and large veins removed
• 16 oz package of extra firm tofu cut into small cubes
• *optional: I often throw in about a Tbl of Penzey's spice's "California Seasoned Pepper - it's just a mix of dehydrated red and green pepper, black pepper, and garlic. The dish is fine without it but I have it on my shelf so I use it.

Take a large, wide pot and heat the peanut oil. When it is hot but not smoking, add the red pepper and saute until just starting to become tender. Add the onion and cook, stirring to they don't stick until the onion is soft.

Add the broth and bring it to a boil

Add the peanut butter and stir until well combined.

Add the cider vinegar and stir to combine. Add the jalepeno and stir

Add salt to taste, this recipe can suck up a lot of salt.

When everything is well combined add the spinach and the tofu and mix gently until the spinach is just wilted and the tofu is well covered in juices.

You could serve over rice or cornmeal mush but it is also good by itself.

Adapted from a recipe on About.com which, in turn, adapted it from The Kwanza Cookbook by Eric V. Copage.

These are big and thick and kind of chewy. They're really good. I was thinking about adding calculated nutritional info to the recipes as I post them, but I don't think I'll start that with this recipe. I have a feeling that would be a bit frightening.

The original recipe called for regular semi-sweet chocolate chips and I substituted white chocolate last time I made this recipe. I like the inverted colors of the regular chocolate chip cookie and it stops the chocolatey-ness from being a bit overwhelming.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• 10 oz. flour (2 cups)
• 1/2 c. cocoa
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. instant coffee
• 10 Tbsp. butter, softened (1.25 sticks)
• 10.5 oz. light brown sugar (1.5 cups)
• 4 oz. granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
• 16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• one 12 oz. bag white chocolate chips

In a metal bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (or a double boiler if you're fancy-schmancy), melt the semisweet chocolate. Set aside and let cool a bit.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.

In yet another bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, and instant coffee. Whisk until combined and the coffee is dissolved.

But the butter and sugars in the bowl of your mixer and beat on medium speed until creamed (the mixture will be lighter in color and fluffy), about 4
minutes. With the mixer on low, add the egg mixture and mix until combined. Again, with the mixer on low, add the melted chocolate and mix until combined. Repeat with the flour mixture, still on low until the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Each of these steps will take only about 30 seconds. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand or with just a few pulses of the mixer.

Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The batter will thicken and become scoopable.

Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop the batter into about 2-inch-diameter balls (3 Tbsp. of batter) and place on the lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Let cool for 10 minutes on the sheet pan, then remove and allow to completely cool. (I had to do this in 3 batches to get all the cookies made.)

Source: Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

You can probably make sauce for pizza that's a lot
fancier and has a lot more ingredients, but I like this one. It's quite
simple and I can have it ready for a pizza in just a few minutes.

I'm not normally on the whole organic bandwagon, but
canned tomatoes are one place where I do tend to buy organic. Not
because of any health benefits, but because it seems to be a much better
product. I think they tend to line the cans with something that protects
the metal from the acid of the tomatoes.

PIZZA SAUCE

• one 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• pinch red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and not watery, about 15 minutes. This tends to splatter, so I usually partly cover the saucepan with the lid, but leave enough room for steam to escape.

Makes about 2 cups.

Stir frying always makes for a great weeknight meal. I was a little worried when I first tried this recipe about the oyster sauce, but the end result wasn't the least bit overpowering or fishy at all. I imagine the brand of oyster sauce is important. I used Dynasty, which was the only brand available in the supermarket I was in that day. I don't have enough experience with oyster sauce to know if it's good or bad, but I liked how this dish came out.

Like most stir fries, this would work well with just about any vegetable. Replace or add carrots, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots as you prefer. I also threw some extra-firm cubed tofu in with the leftovers.

BEEF AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY WITH OYSTER SAUCE

• 1 lb. flank steak
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sherry or dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp. chicken broth
• 5 Tbsp. oyster sauce (also called oyster-flavored sauce)
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 3 cloves garlic, run through a garlic press
• 1 Tbsp. grated ginger
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets, stem peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Trim the flank steak of any large pieces of fat and silverskin. Cut along the grain into 2-inch-wide strips, then cut across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss the been strips with the soy sauce and let sit in the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.

Make the sauce by combining the sherry, broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and corn starch. Set aside.

Combine the garlic, ginger, about a teaspoon of oil in a small bowl and set aside.

Cook the beef. Drain it and discard the liquid. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high to high heat with about a tablespoon of oil until quite hot. Add one-half to one-third of the beef, spread to a single layer, and let cook for about 60 seconds, or until it is nicely browned on one side. Flip with tongs or a fork and cook for another 60 seconds or until cooked-through. Remove the beef and repeat until it is all cooked. It is important to do this step in batches and over very high heat to get good browning on the beef; don't do too much at once or it will just steam.

Cook the vegetables. In this case, in a non-stick skillet with about 2 tsp. of oil over medium high heat, add the broccoli florets and cook for about 30 seconds until they are hot and covered with oil. Add the water and cover for about 2 minutes, letting them steam. Remove the cover and cook until the water is evaporated and the broccoli is cooked and bright green, but still crisp. Remove from the pan.

Return the pan to the heat, add a few more teaspoons of oil, and cook the pepper for a few minutes until it is softening. Add the ginger paste and cook for about 30 seconds until very fragrant.

Add the broccoli and beef back to the skillet along with any additional ingredients you wish and heat until hot. Whisk the sauce to recombine any settled cornstarch and add to the skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thickened slightly and translucent and glossy.

Serve over steamed rice.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

I had a Lost premiere party, and what cocktail would be more appropriate? These are light, fruity and sweet. I was surprised how pink these turned out. With only orange and cranberry as the colored ingredients, I expected it to be much darker in color. Some recipes I found use about 1/2 oz. creme de cassis per cocktail. Since I figured a bottle of that would last me the rest of my life, I just omitted it.

SEX ON THE BEACH

• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. peach schnapps
• 2 oz. orange juice (1/4 cup)
• 2 oz. cranberry juice (1/4 cup)

Mix all ingredients and pour over lots of ice. A little umbrella, maraschino cherry, or slice of orange all make for a good garnish.

Makes one cocktail.

For 4 cocktails:

• 4 oz. vodka (1/2 cup)
• 4 oz. peach schnapps (1/2 cup)
• 2 oz. orange juice (1 cup)
• 2 oz. cranberry juice (1 cup)

This is a great dish for when you want something a bit more special than plain white rice. It's a beautiful golden color and very fragrant. The house usually smells of saffron for a day or two afterwards. If you don't have any saffron, this still works fine. It will make a slightly brownish, nutty-tasting rice.

How much saffron to use is a bit hard to describe. I usually buy my saffron from Penzey's by the gram. I suppose I use about a quarter-gram per recipe. Crushed, it's probably about a quarter teaspoon.

SAFFRON RICE

• 1/4 tsp. crushed saffron
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1.5 cups long grain white rice
• 3 cups water

In a saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and stir occasionally until the rice is opaque and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the butter or rice. It's very easy to over cook the milk solids in the butter. Brown specks are fine; if they are black, you've gone too far.

Add the water, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally until the water is fully absorbed. Stir or fluff with a fork and serve.

Serves 6.

Source: McCall's Cooking School

Some families do a ham for Christmas dinner, some do a roast. My family does curry, and has for over twenty-five years. No one really remembers why or how it got started. I don't claim that this is authentically Indian or anything, but it's quite good.

This is one of those recipes that is very adaptable. The original recipe was for a shrimp curry, but we switched to chicken because of my sister's shellfish allergy. You can also increase or decrease the amount of apple or pear according to your tastes.

Curry powders vary widely in strength. I use Penzey's Sweet Curry, while my mother prefers Spice Islands brand. I find about three tablespoons of the former and two of the latter to be about right. Adjust for your palate.

CHICKEN CURRY

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/4 cup flour
• ground ginger and cardamom to taste (about 1/4 tsp. of each)
• 2 apples, chopped
• 1 pear, chopped (Bosc works well)
• two 15-oz. cans chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. lime zest, grated

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and place under a broiler until they are toasted, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the oil and half the chicken. Separate the pieces and cook, without moving for 60 seconds or so, then flip. Cook until they are cooked all the way through and preferably golden on the outside. Set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towl and place over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened. Add the garlic, curry, flour, ginger, and cardamom and cook about 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant. Add the apple and pear pieces and cook about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the chicken broth slowly, and stir briskly to break up any lumps of flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened.

Add the chicken and cook about 5 minutes, or until hot. Remove from heat and add the lime juice and zest.

Serve over Saffron Rice and pass the toasted almonds at the table. Mango and Red Onion Chutney is very good alongside this.

Serves 4 to 6.

Source: McCall's Cooking School

This is a classic recipe of obscure origins that Wikipedia says dates back to the mid-20th-century. It's classically made with long, thin pasta like spaghetti and linguine. Personally, I prefer shorter pastas. They're easier to eat with a fork without slurping.

Original recipes call for using all the bacon drippings as well, but I had a small heart attack just reading the recipe. If you choose, reserve it and add it when you add the eggs to the pasta.

PASTA CARBONARA

• 5 slices bacon
• 8 oz. farfalle or other small pasta
• 2 cups frozen peas, not thawed
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesean cheese (about 2 oz.)
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

Combine the eggs, Parmesan, and salt in a small bowl and whisk until combined.

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions. About 4 minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the boiling water. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and peas and return to the cooking pot.

Over low heat, add the egg mixture to the pasta and stir until the sauce is thickened and the cheese is melted.

Note: The canonical recipe uses the heat of the pasta to cook the eggs, but I find that isn't enough and the eggs are too runny for my taste. How long you cook it is up to you, just be careful not to use high enough heat to make scrambled eggs.

Serve to plates and top with chopped bacon.

Source: Adapted from an epicurious.com version of a classic recipe.