Christina's Clafoutis

adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

2 whole pears (or plums, or the equivalent of cherries or whatever)
2 teaspoons minced/grated ginger (if using pears)
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel/core/slice fruit as needed and place on bottom of baking dish (casserole dish). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar and minced ginger over the top. Sprinkle brandy over the top if using.
Whisk together flour, salt, eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the top of the pears.
Bake for 45 minutes or until poufy and no longer overly jiggly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with freshly whipped cream flavored with sugar and cinnamon.

Christina's Ultimate Ginger Cookies

These have quite the gingery kick. They are great, but it's not the type of cookie that you can just sit down and eat tons of them. I think they would be absolutely incredible with some eggnog--the perfect balance of sweet and spicy!

adapted from Ina Garten

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark), lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (6 oz) chopped crystallized ginger -- I used 1.5 ounces fresh grated ginger (and it was plenty) and 1.5 ounces granulated sugar
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and combine. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger (or grated fresh ginger and sugar) and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with a cookie dough scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a ball, roll in granulated sugar and then flatten lightly with your fingers. Place on the sheet pans. Bake for 8-9 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Christina's Thai Peanut Dressing

from Our Best Bites

Can be used as a salad dressing (add 2-4 TBSP water to get a good consistency) or a dipping sauce for satay.

1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T minced ginger
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt
2-3 t Sriracha chili sauce*

Blend it all together. Makes about two cups.

*If you don't have chili sauce or can't find it, just toss in a little crushed red pepper, but not too much! Chili sauce isn't actually very hot, and you don't want any hot spice overpowering the flavor.

Christina's Cellophane Noodle Salad with Roast Pork

from Smitten Kitchen

For pork

1 (1-lb) solid piece boneless pork butt (shoulder), halved along the grain

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or sake

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

For dressing

3/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 large fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

For salad

8 oz very thin bean-thread noodles (also known as cellophane, glass, or mung bean noodles)

3/4 lb Chinese long beans (1 bunch) or green beans, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces

1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped; about 1 lb), halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally 1/8 inch thick

1 bunch scallions, cut into matchsticks

1 firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced

2 thin carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh small basil leaves

Make pork: Cut pork along the grain into long 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide strips. Remove and discard any sinew but do not trim fat. Transfer pork to a large sealable plastic bag. Stir together remaining pork ingredients in a small bowl until combined well. Add to pork and turn to coat, then squeeze bag to eliminate as much air as possible and seal. Marinate pork, chilled, at least 4 hours but no longer than 24.

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Put 1/2 inch water in a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan and place a metal rack across top of pan (rack should not touch water).

Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade, and arrange pork strips 1 inch apart on rack. Roast in oven 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring marinade to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, then boil 1 minute (marinade may look curdled). Remove from heat.

Brush both sides of pork with some marinade and roast 10 minutes more. Generously brush both sides of pork with marinade again and roast, basting 2 or 3 times, 10 minutes more.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F and roast pork until strips are mahogany-colored and caramelized on edges, 10 to 15 minutes more (pork should roast for a total of about 50 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes.

Make dressing while pork roasts: Blend together all dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Stir before using.

Cook noodles and beans for salad while pork finishes roasting: Soak noodles in cold water to cover until pliable, about 15 minutes, then drain in a colander. Cut noodles in half with kitchen shears.

Cook beans in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a skimmer or slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, reserving cooking liquid in pot. Drain beans and pat dry.

Return bean-cooking liquid to a boil, then cook noodles, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain noodles in colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain noodles again, then spread out on paper towels and pat dry.

Assemble salad: Cut as much pork as desired for salad across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Toss noodles with 1/4 cup dressing in a bowl. Toss long beans with 2 tablespoons dressing in another bowl. Arrange pork, noodles, beans, and remaining salad ingredients on a large platter. Drizzle with some of dressing and serve remaining dressing on the side.

Christina's Pineapple Sorbet with Ginger

from Bitten

2 cups pineapple puree
1/2 cup sugar (to taste; I thought 1/2 cup was way too much)
2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh or candied ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger, or to taste

Whisk the sugar and ginger into the puree, and freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's directions. This sorbet is best the same day it is made.

Lorri's Pork Dumplings

1 lb ground pork
a few finely chopped spring onion
1 small finely chopped shallot
1-2 cloves of garlic (she used it from about 1 1/2 tsp from a jar)
2 inches ginger root, finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
salt and pepper
1 package wonton/potsticker wrappers, square or round

Mix it all together and put in potsticker wrappers. Fold the wrappers and seal the edges tightly (you can use water but be careful b/c they are going into hot oil.) Deep fry. Serve as an appetizer or with rice. Delicious with soy sauce or Mae Plow's Sweet Chili Sauce.

*Okay really, I usually put a layer of oil in the pan and flip them. Sometimes I employ the two pan method: I let the potstickers fry in one pan and then I move them to a second hot pan where some of the oil can drain off. When she taught me, she just let the pork cook during the frying process. This can be tricky if your oil is too hot. Ocassionally I cook the pork mixture before I fill the potsticker wrappers.

Christina's Pork and Pear Stir Fry

1-1/2 cups fresh or 1 6-ounce package frozen pea pods (I used 1 1/2 cups fresh green beans)
1 pound pork tenderloin
1/2 cup plum preserves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 medium yellow or red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium pear, cored and sliced
1/3 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 to 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
Hot cooked rice

1. Thaw pea pods, if frozen. Cut pork into thin bite-size strips. Set aside.

2. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together preserves, soy sauce, lemon juice, horseradish, cornstarch, and ground red pepper. Set aside.

3. In a wok or large skillet stir-fry ginger in hot oil for 15 seconds over medium-high heat. (Add more oil, if necessary, during cooking.) Add sweet pepper and pear; stir-fry for 1-1/2 minutes more. Remove vegetables from wok. Add pork to wok; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until done. Push pork from center of wok. Stir sauce; add to wok. Cook and stir until bubbly. Add water chestnuts. Return vegetables to wok; stir to coat. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more. Top with pea pods; cover and heat through. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired. Serve with hot cooked rice.

Christina's Asian Noodle Salad

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

1 package linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled

1/2 head sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 head sliced cabbage
1 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin
1 small bag bean sprouts
3 sliced scallions
3 peeled, sliced cucumbers
1 cup peanuts, lightly toasted in skillet

DRESSING:

Juice of 2 limes
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped
one bunch chopped cilantro

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter. Dressing keeps up to three days before serving without cilantro.

Christina's Chicken Breast With Eggplant, Shallots and Ginger

from Bitten

* 8 ounces shallots (about 6 large)
* 1/4 cup neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
* 1 to 1 1/4 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons dried ginger
* 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4 half breasts)
* 1/4 cup or more minced fresh cilantro

1. Peel shallots. If they are small, leave them whole. Otherwise, cut them in half the long way. (Most large shallots have two lobes and will naturally divide in half as you peel them.) Heat the broiler or a gas or charcoal grill.

2. Place oil in a large nonstick skillet, and turn heat to medium high. Add shallots, and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown. Add eggplant, salt and pepper, and lower heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant softens, about 15 minutes.

3. When eggplant begins to brown, add half the ginger, and cook 3 minutes or so more, until eggplant is very tender and the mixture fragrant.

4. Meanwhile, rub chicken breasts with salt, pepper and remaining ginger. Grill about 4 inches from the heat source for 3 minutes a side or until done.

5. Stir half the cilantro into eggplant mixture. Serve chicken breasts on a bed of eggplant. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

Christina's Ginger Soy Lettuce Wraps

4 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
6 scallions/green onions, julienned- 2 in.
1 can water chestnuts, drained and minced
1 carrot, minced
8 shiitake mushrooms, prepared and minced (plain mushrooms are fine, just sauté them up and then mince)
¼ c. soy sauce (scant)
1-2 T. honey- depending on how sweet you want it
Lettuce
little crispy rice noodles (opt.), 2 oz. raw peanuts, toasted (opt.), 1 can bamboo shoots, drained and minced (opt.)

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add a little olive oil to start off with, then add water when needed- a tbsp. at a time.
2. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper (lots of pepper for extra spice).
3. Add garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes (the latter two according to taste); cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Add scallions and cook for another minute.
5. Add soy sauce and honey to form a sauce and glaze the chicken.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Serve wrapped in lettuce, or on top of shredded lettuce.