This saucy dish comes from Real Simple magazine. It’s a little spicy and goes well with rice or an egg noodle side.

1 tbsp oil
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook 5 minutes ot until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan. Saute 4 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to pan. Stir in cream and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce is slightly thick.

Punch up the spice by adding 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Here is a dessert recipe from AOL Food. This dessert combines apples, oranges and ginger to make a dessert out of couscous. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Ginger Recipe #5.

Sauce:
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp Triple Sec (orange flavored liqueur)

Couscous:
1 1/3 cups apple juice
3 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 tsp grated orange rind

Topping:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 apples)
2 tbsp raisins (or golden raisins)
2 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tbsp Triple Sec
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Additional toppings (optional):
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
mint sprigs

To prepare sauce, bring orange juice to a boil in a saucepan. Cook until juice is reduced to 1/3 cup (about 6 minutes). Stir in 1 1/2 tbsp liqueur.

To prepare couscous, bring apple juice, 3 tbsp butter, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually stir in couscous and orange rind. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.

To prepare topping, melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cook 1 minute. stirring constantly. Stir in apple and raisins, cook 5 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in ginger, 1 1/2 tbsp liqueur, and cinnamon.

To serve: Spoon about 1/3 cup couscous into dessert dish. Top with about 2 tbsp topping, 1 1/2 tsp sour cream (if using), and about 1 tbsp sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. Recipe will make 8 servings.

This recipe is from the cookbook Million Menus. The sherbet has a texture similar to a frozen slush drink, so I turned mine into smoothies. Cool off with Ginger Recipe #4.

1 ripe musk melon (cantaloupe)
2 limes
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white, lightly whisked
fresh or frozen strawberries

Peel, seed, and cut melon into small chunks. Juice limes. Combine melon, lime juice, and grated ginger into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.

Stir in sugar. Beat in egg white. Transfer to a freezer proof container and freeze for 6 hours.

Serve in scoops with strawberries.

To make smoothies (and avoid the wait time):

After beating in egg white, pour approx 1 1/2 cups of melon mixture back into blender. Add 3-4 large ice cubes. Process until ice is blended. Garnish with strawberries.

Strawberry-Melon-Ginger Smoothie: Add 1/3 cup milk and several strawberries, cut into chunks. Process in blender until smooth.

Once sherbet has frozen, omit ice cubes when making smoothies and add 1/2 cup hot water instead (to get the blender going).

Add other fruit as desired. Honey can be added or substituted for sugar. Beaten egg white is not essential to making smoothies.

This recipe, which I found at AOL Food, comes from Sunset magazine. Though it was good, I felt it tasted like a weak chai tea. Next time, I would include more spices. Here is Ginger Recipe #3.

1 quart milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 ground cardamom
8 Assam or orange pekoe tea bags (or 3 tbsp loose tea leaves)

Using a 3 to 4 quart pan, combine milk, 1 quart water, sugar, ginger, and cardamom over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Add tea and simmer, stirring gently, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand until tea is a reddish brown color, about 1 minute.

Pour through a fine strainer into a hot teapot or carafe. Serve with cinnamon sticks.

To make iced, Sunset magazine recommends replacing milk with water and using Darjeeling tea. Brew tea up to 1 day ahead, chill over night, and pour tea into ice-filled glasses.

To make tea spicier, like chai, add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 ground nutmeg and 1/8 ground cloves.

This is another recipe from my Betty Crocker PocketChef Breakfast and Brunch cookbook. These quick and easy biscuits are great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
2/3 cup milk (2% recommended)
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp garlic powder or garlic salt

Preheat oven to 450F

In a medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, and cheese with a wire whisk or fork until a soft dough forms. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop rounded balls of dough about 2 inches apart on a non-stick cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. In a small bowl, stir melted butter with garlic powder until well mixed. Brush butter on warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Great with a simple breakfast of bacon and eggs.