How to Grow Ginger

 

I love ginger, and I've wanted to grow my own for years. So much of it in the stores is grown in countries which I don't trust, and if I could grow my own organically it would be great. One year I potted up some healthy USA-grown organic ginger roots from the supermarket and set the pot outdoors in our hot humid summer weather; I barely ended up with more than I had planted. Then I learned about a plant related to the variety of ginger we commonly eat, called "galangal"  (pronounced guh-lang-guh). Used in Thai cooking and in curry seasoning blends, some argue that it tastes different from common ginger, while others use it interchangeably with ginger. Reading that it was successfully grown by home gardeners, I felt it was worth a try. A source I found online seemed to be sold out as soon as they listed some for sale in late winter. But last year I got lucky and here is how it worked for me....

I found an Etsy shop called Magical Mystery Herbs selling fresh live galangal root, grown near me in Athens, Georgia. I ordered 12 ounces last January (I see they are selling it again now; likely it's a seasonal offering). They sell 4 oz. for $9.95. Plump big rhizomes arrived quickly. I set the galangal chunks in water until I had a chance to pot them. Then I cut them into smaller pieces, each with a growth bud or two, buried them in soil, and set the small pots by a sunny indoor window in my dining area. Be forewarned - it takes a lo-o-o-o-ng time before any little green sprouts begin to emerge from the soil (3 months for me). Be patient and keep them watered and warm. Mother Nature understands the proper timing.

Once the plants started to develop green leaves I carefully transplanted them into very large pots, allowing plenty of room for new rhizomes to grow. I tried planting some directly into the soil of my cold frame too. We were past our last average frost date, so I put the pots outdoors. I also decided to bury one large pot in the vegetable garden, with the rim at the soil line. This way, there was less likelihood for the soil to dry out during hot weather.

During our hot, humid, rainy summer, each pot grew more and more stems and long green leaves, about 12-18" tall. The plant buried in the garden showed the best growth… I had to keep pulling away the Seminole pumpkin and sweet potato vines from nearby garden rows!

Before our first fall frost (our average date is Oct. 15), I decided to uproot each galangal pot and see how the roots had multiplied. I was delighted with my harvest! The plant submerged in the garden had grown the best, and the photos of my harvest are from that pot. The roots I planted directly in the garden soil didn't fair as well, but still grew big rhizomes from the small pieces I had started with. And the flavor is so much like common ginger that I don't notice any difference.

I had too much ginger to use all at once, so I kept some growing in their big pots and brought them into my south-facing basement window to continue to grow. I also shared some of the small sprouts with friends to grow their own. I'll separate my potted plants to start the cycle of summer growth again this year, burying each big pot in my garden soil for the best results. I hope to have more and more each year.

The galangal I didn't use fresh immediately was washed clean and frozen in zipper bags. The frozen chunks have all the flavor of fresh, and can be cut or grated easily. Fresh ginger tea is wonderful in winter and even makes a refreshing cold summer drink. The galangal has been delicious in my favorite gingerbread, gingerbread biscotti (where I substituted 1 T fresh grated ginger in place of 1 t of dried gingerroot powder), in sweet breakfast breads, and in stir-fries. I added a small amount of grated fresh gingerroot to my homemade holiday cranberry-orange sauce and one of my guests said it was the best cranberry sauce he had ever eaten. It would be possible to dehydrate thin slices of galangal root too, using the slices chopped finely or making some into dried gingerroot powder in a coffee grinder.

If you too love ginger, don't settle for store-bought any more. Grow your own!

5 Steps to Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

Just in time for Easter eggs, I've got 5 easy steps to help you cook perfect hard-boiled farm-fresh eggs. I love deviled eggs, pickled eggs, and egg salad, but stopped making them since I began getting fresh eggs from friends' hens. If you've ever tried peeling a fresh egg, you likely struggled as I did… a frustrating, tedious task to to pick the shells off without pulling off pieces of the egg white. I swore never to try again! Even my friend Deborah, who supplies me with her hens' eggs (with shell colors ranging from light minty green to dark chocolately brown) had resorted to letting some of her eggs "age" when she wanted to hardboil them.

Technically, store-bought eggs have sat around long enough (an unpleasant thought) so the eggshells' coating wears off (or is removed by commercial cleaning), the egg becomes porous, and air is allowed to penetrate. This makes the inner membrane stick to the shell less and also makes the egg white shrink. More air space develops in the egg… resulting in easier-to-peel eggs. But who wants to use old eggs when you have access to super fresh eggs?

I accidentally came across a blog post on perfect boiled eggs last week, and I developed these steps from the comments to the post, where readers offered their own tips. I wanted to bring green deviled eggs* to a St. Patrick's Day potluck, and I didn't want to hassle with peeling the fresh eggs I had in the fridge. So I broke down and bought a dozen large white eggs at the supermarket. The expiration date was 3 days away, and retailers have 30 days to sell eggs, so they had been aging! I tested my new 5-step method, adding one farm-fresh egg to the batch - a lovely dark brown maran egg from my friend Deborah. The results were wonderful... the shells slipped off easily, the whites were not tough, and the yolks were pure yellow. The next time I tried using only one-day old eggs, and the results were still perfect! I'll no longer hesitate to make hard-boiled eggs.

Here are my five steps to perfect Hard Boiled Eggs:

1. Poke a tiny hole through the large end of the shell with a sharp thumbtack (some people say this isn't necessary, but I tried one without the hole and it didn't peel as well)
2. Put cold eggs in a steamer rack in a saucepan, cover and boil 15 minutes, starting the timer when the water starts to boil (NOTE: be sure you have enough water under the steamer rack so it won't boil away; elevate the rack in the pan if needed) If you don't have a steamer, submerge a small colander in the pot, making sure the eggs are above water
3. Remove the steamer basket and rinse the eggs under cold water, then immediately put them into an icy cold water bath and let them stay there for 10 minutes
4. Shake each egg in a 1/2 pint mason jar to crack the shell
5. The shell slips right off!

* For green deviled eggs, Google "Avocado Deviled Eggs" or "Guacamole Deviled Eggs" and you'll find recipes - basically the yolks are mixed with your favorite guacamole recipe. I used a recipe that got the onion flavor from chives (sticking with the green theme ) and mixed my green filling in a food processor until smooth, so I could pipe the green filling into the egg whites. They are delicious, eye-catching, and cute too!

My hard-boiled eggs cooked with tender whites and clear yellow centers, perfect for these St. Patty's Day Green Deviled Eggs.

Delicious Gluten Free Dinner Rolls

  
I shy away from posting someone else's recipe in this blog, but this one is worth an exception. I made these rolls last night and they are fabulous! Make them for yourself or make a batch for a GF family member or friend and treat them to the bread they've been missing! I think even non gluten-free eaters will love these rolls, as Rick did.

NOTES: I ordered the specified flour from Amazon, but the next time I'll try some other GF all-purpose flour, like Bob's Red Mill, for comparison. The original recipe, with many variations, is here, on the flour website, but I first saw it posted by another food blogger with her changes, and that's the version I followed (and posted below). Next time I make these, I'll reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons, since they tasted a bit sweet to me (some sugar is necessary, to feed the yeast). I used coconut palm sugar instead of white sugar (which is only on my shelf for the hummingbirds). I might use honey next time, which always worked fine in my non GF bread recipes in place of white sugar. Also, I used unsalted butter. The recipe calls for xanthan gum, which might not be on your baking shelf if you are not GF yourself; it's a bit pricy but you use very little at a time. A substitute which perhaps you'd have more use for is psyllium powder, which you can buy at a drug store or online as Konisyl Original Psyllium Fiber. I don't have a cookie scoop, so I greased an ice cream scoop (complete with a penguin handle!) and globbed the dough into the pan, smoothing it with wet fingers. I made 8 rolls (and we each ate 2!), not 9, so mine were a little bigger. They browned really fast; I added the note about browning in the recipe below, in case your oven reacts the same as mine. Remove the rolls from the pan as soon as possible, as with all gluten-free baked goods. 

Bottom rolls have been smoothed with wet fingers.

     There are many other GF recipes on the flour maker's website so be sure to check it out - I plan to try others, maybe the pumpernickle bread next.


Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls {Gluten-free}
Author: Michelle @ MyGluten-freeKitchen.com
Recipe type: Yeast Breads/Rolls
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Serves: 9
NOTE: Ingredients in red type are detailed on the "Ingredients" page of this blog

INGREDIENTS
2-3/4 c Gluten Free Mama's Almond Blend Flour
1-1/2 tsp xanthan gum or 1 T psyllium powder
2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c warm water (105-110°)
2 T butter, dairy-free margarine, or Spectrum shortening, melted
1 egg (preferably room temp)
1 tsp cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Right out of the oven, brushing the tops with melted butter

In the mixing bowl of your electric mixer, mix together flour, xanthan gum, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. With mixer running on low speed, add in the water, melted butter (or substitute), egg, and cider vinegar. Mix on high speed 3 minutes.

Spray 8" or 9" round cake pan or pie plate with cooking spray. Using a 2" scoop or ⅓ cup measuring cup, scoop dough into 9 mounds in the pan. I place one mound in middle, then scoop 8 mounds of dough side by side all the way around the pan. Dip your fingertips into warm water and use to smooth out the tops of the rolls, continuing to wet fingers as needed.

Cover with a dry towel and let rise in a warm place 45 minutes to 1 hour. During the last few minutes that the rolls are rising, preheat oven to 400°. Bake in 400° oven for 26-28 minutes. [If they brown too fast, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top to prevent further browning; I had to do this after 15 minutes of baking.] Tops should be golden brown and if you measure temperature of dough, it should measure 200°. Brush rolls with additional 1/2-1 Tablespoon of melted butter.

Let me know how you like these!

Variations On A Breakfast Favorite, Muesli

In the late 19th century, a Swiss physician and pioneer nutritionist named Dr. Bircher-Benner ran a sanatorium in Zurich, using diet as a means of healing patients. He created "muesli," a blend of hearty grains, seeds and fruit - but a different combination from what today is known as muesli.
     To me, muesli is a hearty and delicious breakfast dish using uncooked rolled oats, which my friend Claudia from Swizterland introduced to me many years ago. Traditionally, the oats are mixed with yogurt, milk and other ingredients and refrigerated overnight, which allows the uncooked oats to absorb the liquids, soften and blend. I've tweaked my recipe over the years, substituting nonfat dairy products, eliminating sour cream since I rarely have it on hand (original called for 3/4 c yogurt  + 1/4 c sour cream), and using apple or pear sauce instead of grated apple. Below I've posted my version of Breakfast Muesli, and then several of my variations… invent your own!
     I was inspired to share this recipe after learning of some Overnight Oats/Chia Pudding recipes my friends Richard and Regina have been enjoying. The ingredients and process are similar to the recipe below, with an addition of chia seeds. The chia seeds add a great nutritional boost, so now they are a mainstay in my recipe.

JUDY'S BREAKFAST MUESLI
Author: Judy Lavoie
Recipe type: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Serves: 3-4
NOTE: Ingredients in red type are detailed on the "Ingredients" page of this blog

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c old fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking, and gluten-free if that is a concern)
• 1 c yogurt
• 1-1/2 t fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 c milk of choice (dairy, almond, cashew, rice, hemp, organic soy)
• 1 t chia seeds
• 1-1/2 t real maple syrup
• 1/2 apple, grated OR 1/4 c unsweetened apple sauce or pear sauce
• 1/2 banana, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 c chopped pecans or other nuts

DIRECTIONS
In a container with a lid, stir together all the ingredients except the apple, banana and nuts. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, prepare the apple and banana and stir them into the oat mixture. Sprinkle chopped nuts over the top of each serving. Eat and enjoy!


VARIATIONS:

Carob and Raspberry Muesli
Add 2 t carob powder to the recipe above, and stir in 1/2-1 cup of fresh raspberries just before serving. Garnish with a few whole raspberries.

Pumpkin Muesli with Currants
Delete the milk and add these ingredients to the original recipe (above) before refrigerating overnight:
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1 t pumpkin pie spices
1 t molasses or sorghum syrup
When ready to serve, sprinkle dried currants over the top of each serving. (Or add them the night before, and they will absorb some liquid and soften a bit.)

Double Berry Muesli
Delete the apple and add these ingredients to the original recipe (above)  before refrigerating overnight:
1/3 c fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 c sliced fresh strawberries
OPTIONAL: 1 T buckwheat

Whipped Coconut Cream

Whipped Coconut Cream on top of my homemade Pumpkin Bread Pudding (a future recipe post)

My friend Diane asked that I post this recipe after I served it on pumpkin bread at a gathering of gardening friends last week. I first made this recipe last Thanksgiving, to go on top of a peanut-chocolate pie (recipe in a future post) I was bringing to our hosts. We had a 3-hour drive and I knew "real" whipped cream would not be a good option... I couldn't whip it fresh on-site at a house I'd never been to (filled with loads of people I'd never met!), and if I made it ahead it would have lost its volume in transit. So I decided to try a variation of a coconut whipped topping recipe I had copied off the internet. I got many compliments, no complaints, and didn't find any reason to reveal its unconventional ingredients. I dubbed it a winner!

I love this non-dairy alternative to traditional Whipped Cream for several reasons:

• I always have the ingredients on hand
• It's very fast and easy to make
• Doesn't separate even if mixed days ahead
• Travels well
• Can be made with simple hand-mixing; a mixer is not essential
• It's thick and rich, so you don't need to use much for each serving
• Cholesterol-free
• I can control what goes in it (ReadyWhip and other creams have ingredients I don't like)
• All-natural ingredients (unlike other non-dairy whipped toppings)
• Sweetening with stevia creates a sugar-free topping
• This is delicious!

 Whipped Coconut Cream
(makes about 10-12 servings)
(items in red type are detailed on the Ingredients page) 

INGREDIENTS
1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
vanilla stevia* to taste

Optional Ingredients: Other flavored extracts (like almond or peppermint), cocoa or carob powder, citrus peel, cinnamon or other spices

DIRECTIONS
I keep one unopened can of coconut milk in the refrigerator all the time, UPSIDE-DOWN so it will be cold whenever I am ready to make this. Cooling helps make the thick creamy part separate from the watery liquid. Open the can at the top and scoop the thick white cream into a small bowl. To catch all the thick cream, you can scoop the last of it with a spatula, pouring the watery liquid through a strainer to catch any remaining thick cream. Save the watery liquid to use in smoothes or other recipes.

Use a hand whisk to mix in the vanilla stevia. If you don't want to use vanilla stevia, add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 T of honey or maple syrup or agave nectar. Alternately, you can beat the cream with a hand- or standup-mixer to make it more airy and light. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This mixes up so firm and thick that you can pipe it for a more decorative look, decorating a cake top with it in place of frosting. Or just plop it by the spoonful on top of a slice of pie, sweet bread, pudding, fresh fruit, or whatever suits your fancy. If left in the refrigerator, it might thicken, but just stir it up again when ready to use. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge, if it lasts that long at your house! Let me know how you use this recipe.

* I make my own vanilla stevia. I harvest organic stevia leaves and flowers from my summer garden and pack them in a jar, covered with vodka of the highest proof I can find affordably. After 4-6 weeks, I strain the plant materials out and discard them in my compost, and put the extract into a jar. I add several pieces of vanilla bean, (some I have already used to make vanilla extract!) and leave them in the jar with the stevia extract indefinitely. You can purchase vanilla stevia liquid extract also. Since there is no consistency to the sweetness of stevia extracts, taste as you add very small amounts - it is powerful.

Introducing the Recipe Guide

 

Now you can quickly find recipes on my blog. There's still a list of labels in the right column, but the food posts are sometimes hard to find among all the gardening info. Now I've made locating recipes even easier by linking to all my recipe posts in a special new Favorite Recipes index.

Once on the blog, just click on "Favorite Recipes" at the very top of the home page. My recipes are categorized to make it easy to browse. There are Appetizers, Breakfast Foods, Salads & Dressings, Entrees, Vegetable Dishes, Desserts, and seven other sections. Many recipes are naturally gluten-free, but those with specific gluten-free ingredients are listed also, in the last category.

Have fun!

Spinach Salad with Fruit

I adapted this salad and its dressing from one served by my friend LoLo:

• 5 oz fresh spinach, washed and dried
• 1 orange, peeled and cut in small pieces
• 1 c fresh raspberries or sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 c chopped nuts
• 1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
• Judy's Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

Layer in bowl: spinach, fruit, nuts & feta. When ready to serve, add desired amount of dressing, toss, and serve.

Winter Protection

Winter in Tennessee… yesterday was sunny, calm, and a comfortable high of 45 degrees. But the temperature has been dropping steadily since then, with a forecast of 1°F by midnight tonight, with possible flurries. BRRRRR.

In the fall, I dug up and potted some of my favorite and most tender perennials to ensure I'd have them for my garden when the weather warms again. In my south facing basement window are aloe vera, chocolate mint, lemon grass, bay leaf, and stevia. I have a small winter vegetable plot going at the front of my recently re-fortified vegetable garden, with patches of collards, spinach, leaf lettuce, onions, arugula, and some little seedlings of corn mache. The cold frame is planted with more spinach, and a bunch of swiss chard plants seeded next to the cold frame last year and have given me small harvests continuously.

All of these garden vegetables are described as "cold hardy," but single digit temperatures will be damaging or fatal even for these plants. To keep the low temperatures from ending my winter harvest, I went outdoors in yesterday afternoon's sunshine to protect the garden. First, I picked big bags of collards, spinach, and chard. I picked the tender young tips of pea pod plants which I know won't survive the cold - pea leaves are edible, delicate, and delicious. I rounded out my harvest of greens with big handfuls of wild chickweed, which seeds itself and grows profusely in winter, especially in the rich soil around my compost bin. Chickweed can be eaten in salads or cooked gently. It has a mild flavor which reminds me of corn on the cob. If you raise chickens, find some for them... I hear they love it.

Wild chickweed grows well all winter and it's delicious.

I wanted to insulate my veggies with layers, so I raked wheelbarrow loads of fallen leaves from the driveway drainage ditches (doubling the value of my labor) and packed them gently around the stems and over the tops of the plants. Our winter thus far has been mild and wet - proven by the 3 flowering daisies and 2" shoots of early spring daffodils which I spotted while raking. On top of the piles of leaves I spread big bedsheets (retired for garden use) and canvas tarps, anchored with rocks around all edges so the wind won't disturb the coverings. Not enough protection to keep Maggie Mae from disturbing it however; I had to go out and recover the patch of spinach today after she dragged the covering off and up the front stairs. Never a dull moment with an overgrown puppy! A fitted sheet was the perfect cover for the cold frame, which is buttoned down tightly.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner of sauteed greens with spaghetti, mixed with homemade basil pesto from the freezer, toasted sunflower seeds (my substitute for pinenuts, which I can't find a source for in the US) and parmesan. Tonight I'll be making collard leaves stuffed with mixed grains and veggies, topped with tomato sauce and cheddar. Hopefully, I'll uncover the garden after the cold snap to find happy greenery continuing to feed us fresh garden produce through spring.