Ugly but Tasty

Don't avert your eyes, it's just ginger. You might have noticed it in the produce section of your grocery store and wondered who in the world would buy (and use!) something so abhorrently ugly. Well ladies, the answer is me. I'm a big fan of ginger. Occasionally you can get away with using the powdered form, but there is just nothing like fresh ginger. Last week's Indonesian Ginger Chicken used fresh grated ginger. This week's Slow Cooker Orange Chicken calls for it too.

Next time you have a recipe that calls for ginger, give it a shot! It's inexpensive, easy to store, easy to peel and easy to dice or grate. The little bit you see on the right in the photo above made exactly 1/4 cup after it was grated. So one clump of ginger can be used for several recipes. The ginger root itself doesn't have an odor until you cut into it and then after you handle it the wonderful aroma doesn't stick to your hands like onion and garlic. Grab some ginger next time you shop, and try out one of these recipes. I double-dog-dare you.