Ginger creations know no season

Those who love the flavor of ginger want it in every season and in as many differing ways as creativity allows. That could be mind-boggling, couldn’t it?

My personal passion for ginger came to mind recently when offered a selection of desserts. I opted for ginger. Shortly thereafter, the same situation repeated itself. It then dawned upon my culinary consciousness that ginger has become one of my all-time flavor favorites.

In researching ginger desserts, I’ve also noticed that ginger marries well with many other flavors. In some case the flavors meld so as to create a flavor with unusual dimensions, such as the peanut butter gingerbread dessert. And orange cream cheese frosting might send this into culinary orbit. Or, not feeling fancy, the baker can sift confectioner’s sugar over the cake. In days gone by the sugar dusting would be done over a fancy doily.

Peanut butter enhances this gingerbread. Cut into thin fingers to serve with a bowl of fruit for a simple, nutritious dessert.

Peanut Butter Gingerbread

½ cup peanut butter

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

3 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. soda

2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream peanut butter and sugar. Add eggs, beaten slightly. Blend in molasses. Whisk flour with salt, soda, ginger, clove and cinnamon. Add the buttermilk and flour mixture alternately to molasses mixture. Turn into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven about 28-33 minutes. Cool on rack. Dust with confectioner’s sugar or spread with desired frosting.

My notes for this recipe say, “It’s an angel because it’s always there and always works.” Guess that would surmise a culinary angel!

Angel Gingerbread

2 cups flour

¾ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. melted butter

½ cup molasses

1 cup sour cream

Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Beat eggs. Add melted butter, brown sugar, sour cream and molasses. Blend in flour mixture. Bake in a greased 9x9-inch baking pan for about 30 minutes.

When I’ve taught cooking I have a few favorite techniques and twists. For example, I like to make things in classes that are usually just purchased items. In teaching students learn to make English muffins, realizing in the process that somewhere along the line packaged English muffins are a convenience food… not the original.

The same is true of ginger snaps. Most folks think of ginger snaps as a cookie that comes in a box. It wasn’t always that way… here’s the real thing.

Ginger Snaps

½ cup molasses

½ cup butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. ginger

Combine molasses, butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and ginger. Add to molasses mixture. Chill thoroughly.

To bake: drop on greased baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven about 8 minutes. Makes about 3 ½ dozen cookies.

Every frugal cook makes ripe bananas into something. Usually that “something” is banana bread. Here’s a moist and nutritious banana cookie to make tasty use of ripe bananas.

By the way, if you don’t have time to bake, toss the bananas into a bag and freeze. Thaw and then peel… they peel just like a zipper. Do this in plenty of time for the bananas to warm up near to room temperature so as not to adversely affect baking times.

Banana Bran Cookies

¾ cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup bran

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add beaten egg and mashed banana. Mix in bran and vanilla. Whisk flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Blend mixtures. Drop from a teaspoon onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

My affection for General Mills goes back to high school days when I was blessed to win a generous scholarship from the company. Today I remain loyal even as their products lines seem to grow and grow and grow.

Recently I noticed a pudding-cake combination in the baking area of the market. I remembered this General Mills “kitchen tested” recipe amongst my collection. So, have it your way: from a package or from scratch, it’s sure to top off almost any meal.

General Mills Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

1 cup Gold Medal flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ tbsp. cocoa

½ cup milk

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup nuts, chopped

Sauce:

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup cocoa

1 ¾ cups hot water

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa directing into mixing bowl. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix until smooth. Blend in nuts.

Spread batter into a well-greased 8x8x2½-inch square pan.

Mix together brown sugar and cocoa and sprinkle mixture over batter in pan. Pour hot water over entire batter.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes. (During baking, the cake mixture rises to the top and the chocolate sauce settles to the bottom of the pan.)

When baked, cut into squares and invert squares on individual dessert plates, putting sauce dipped from bottom of pan on each square. Or, invert entire dessert immediately onto a deep serving platter. Serve warm… with or without whipped cream. 8-10 generous servings.

Fresh “stone” fruit may be a few weeks away but there are canned fruits that would be a good basis for this dessert sauce. You could chose black cherries, canned chunk pineapple, sliced pears… or even fresh bananas (if not overcooked) would work in a pinch.

Black Cherry Sauce

½ lb. pitted black cherries (fresh or canned)

1 cup orange juice

½ cup water

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. sugar

Combine orange juice, water and lemon juice. Mix cornstarch and sugar. Blend into fruit juices. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Add cherries and cook (or heat) just until cherries are tender. Serve warm atop cut fruit, vanilla pudding or ice cream.