I had not planned to make ginger candy; rather, this sprung out of my attempts to salvage sugar water from a failed attempt to make Vietnamese bittersweet caramel sauce. First, boil 1 part sugar and 1part water. When the mixture gets viscous, add 1 part peeled, sliced ginger. Let simmer for about 30 minutes to… Continue reading Candied ginger
Tag: dessert
Mixed berries with limoncello
Toss berries (here, about 2 cups sliced strawberries and blueberries) with 2 Tbsp each julienned spearmint, julienned basil, and limoncello. Let flavors meld for a few mins, then serve. This recipe is by Giada de Laurentiis and available on Food Network. (May 2014)
Spicy butterscotch pudding
This is one of my husband's favorite pudding flavors. Whisk together 2 Tbsp cornstarch, ½ cup light brown sugar, and a dash of salt in a small pot. Add 1 cup each milk and half and half, then cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until mixture thickens. When thickened, remove from heat and stir in 1… Continue reading Spicy butterscotch pudding
Grilled stone fruit skewers
Cut peaches and plums in half and remove pits. Alternately thread on metal skewers, with cut side facing up. Sprinkle white sugar on cut side and let sit for a few minutes. Coat a BBQ grill with cooking spray, then grill skewers (cut side down) on medium-high heat for about 5 mins. Serve immediately. This dish… Continue reading Grilled stone fruit skewers
Oven-roasted strawberries
Preheat oven to 375. Hull 1 pint strawberries and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp brown sugar. Bake for 30 mins. This recipe is from Cooking Light. (July 2014)
Oven-roasted stone fruit with cherries
Preheat oven to 450. Cut 6 peaches (here, white nectarines) and 6 plums into quarters (removing pits), then place cut side up in a large baking dish. Sprinkle ½ cup sugar (here, I used homemade vanilla sugar) over the stone fruit. Garnish with 2 small containers of pitted cherries (or raspberries), then place in the… Continue reading Oven-roasted stone fruit with cherries
Cider-poached pears
Combine 2 ½ cups apple cider, ¾ cup white sugar (here, vanilla-infused sugar), ½ cup orange juice, the zest of one orange (here, a lemon), 3 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 vanilla pod (split lengthwise) in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, and then immediately reduce to a simmer. Separately,… Continue reading Cider-poached pears
Oven-roasted plums in spiced syrup
In a small sauce pan, mix ½ cup sugar (here, vanilla sugar), ¾ cup water, 1/8 tsp each nutmeg and allspice, and a small cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, then pour over 2 ½ lb red plums (stems removed, placed stem side down). Roast in… Continue reading Oven-roasted plums in spiced syrup
Vanilla meringues
After developing a meringue addiction while in Ixtapa, I decided to try my hand at making meringues at home. For this first try, I followed a simple recipe from the Azorean cookbook that involved whipping 3 eggs with 1 cup granulated sugar (here, vanilla-infused sugar) until stiff (about 9 mins on the hand mixer), then… Continue reading Vanilla meringues
Mother’s cookies
I learned this from my friend Mika, who shared this recipe from her sister’s school cookbook many years ago. Preheat oven to 350. Using a hand mixer, blend 1 cup shortening, 1 ½ cups sugar, and 2 eggs until well mixed. Add 1 tsp each baking soda and salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 ½… Continue reading Mother’s cookies
Cooking Adventures 