Candied Ginger Sables

These turned out to be so easy and delicious, we were surprised! Don't be deterred by the amount of ginger included and DON'T overmix the dough. Just go long enough to ensure the flour is incorporated.

Candied Ginger Sables

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the ground ginger and salt. Add these to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until the ingredients are just combined.

Add the candied ginger and beat for a few more seconds to incorporate. Divide the dough in half and gently roll into two slim cylinders of about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the cylinders tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. At this point, if the cylinders have slumped or flattened at all, re-roll them a bit to make them perfectly round. Cut the dough into 1/4-inch slices and arrange them an inch apart on baking sheets (use parchment paper if your baking sheets are dark).

Bake the cookies until they are light golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

Yield: 60 cookies

Bangkok Style Barbecue Chicken

Haven't had much time to cook lately, but we made a wonderful dinner by combining this chicken with rice noodles (SO easy - soak in hot water to cook) and steamed bok choy and carrots. We also made some amazing ginger sables for dessert.

Bangkok Style Barbecue Chicken

Servings: 4

2 each chickens, whole, split in half (we used 1 value/large package of chicken thighs)

1 can coconut milk, unsweetened, 14 ounce

2 Tablespoons yellow curry paste

2 Tablespoons Thai fish sauce

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, loosely packed and chopped with stems

2 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 Tablespoon white pepper

Place the chicken halves, skin side up, in shallow roasting pan. Lightly score to allow the marinade to penetrate. Set aside

Combine the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, garlic, cilantro, sugar, and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour marinade over the chicken halves, then turn them skin side down. Spoon into cavities. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to 24, turning occasionally.

Grill or roast until done. We did not marinate and browned the thighs, poured sauce on them, and finished them in the oven because of time constraints.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1064 Calories; 81g Fat (69.6% calories from fat); 71g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 283mg

Cholesterol; 291mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 10 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 9 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.