Monday, December 05, 2005

Sweet and hot...

Since I love ginger in just about anything, I thought I would make some cookies today as I picked up some crystallized ginger at Trader Joe's yesterday.

Chewy Ginger Cookies have a little crispness around the edges with a decent soft and chewy texture throughout. Chilling the dough is needed as it can be sticky and it allows the dough to firm up so it does not spread too much. These do spread a bit, but they are not paper thin. Rolling the dough balls in sugar gives them a little sparkle and a crunchy coating. Ginger is used twice in these cookies that comes from ground ginger and the crystallized. When you bite into a piece of the ginger it has a subtle hot flavor balanced out by the sweet sugar coating.

For dinner tonight we had a comforting and filling soup. Italian Sausage soup is packed with flavor, but is so quick to throw together it feels like it had been on the stove for hours. Orzo, a rice shaped pasta, is used to soak up some of the stock and help give the soup some body and texture. I added 3 cups of spinach which helped give some volume and we love the taste. The turkey sausage has a mild heat but brings the dish together and adds a heartiness to the soup. A sprinkling of fresh basil and parmesan finishes off the soup with a final punch of flavor.

14 comments:

  1. Anything with ginger and I am sold! I have some in the queue myself, this coming weekend.

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  2. I love anything ginger, too. These cookies look amazing, Joe.

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  3. i love ginger cookies. i came across a recipe for "ginger hottendots" from one of MFK Fisher's books. And it's been a staple since. The addition of crystallized ginger adds a nice zing. SO good with champagne :)

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  4. Yummy! Beautiful cookies :)

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  5. Thank you for your perfect timing! I was just playing around on epicurious searching for a hearty sausage soup. I will look no further.

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  6. mmm crystallised ginger is one of my favourites!! will have to give those cookies a go sometime

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  7. the soup really looks like one I am going to have to try. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

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  8. Ooo those cookies look good. I wish I could try one...(pokes screen).

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  9. I love ginger cookies--the ones you made sound great with the double dose of it. YuM!

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  10. Ooh! And I just picked up some crystallized ginger last week. I'll definitely be trying out your recipe this weekend.

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  11. The soup looks awesome and I love, love, love ginger.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Nic - I'm a huge ginger fan!

    Tanvi - Thanks!

    Vanessa - That's cool, what book was it?

    Michele - Thank you!

    Mebeth - That soup was so darn good, no leftovers when I wish there were!

    Catesa - Let me know if you try them!

    Heather - I hope you get a chance to make the soup!

    Robyn - *tries to send cookies to you*

    JJ - THanks!

    Ed - Please send me a note if you try them!

    Ruth - Thanks!

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  13. I've made those ginger cookies too. My friend shared the recipe with me - she found it on a ginger website.

    They are delicious. You have me craving them now - I might have to make some. Maybe we we'll have a snow day on Friday and I can stay home and bake!

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  14. Thanks for letting me know! I'm happy to hear you liked them!

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