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.

This tasty morning treat is featured in Taste of Home’s 2006 Cookbook, which is full of reader-supplied recipes. Give your regular coffee a spicy kick with Ginger Recipe #2.

6 tbsp ground coffee (not instant)
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp chopped crystallized or candied ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 cups cold water

Combine coffee grounds, orange zest, ginger and cinnamon in a coffee filter. Brew according to manufacturer’s directions using 6 cups cold water.

Serve coffee with cream and sugar as desired. Garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or additional orange peel.

Kick up the spice by adding 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp cloves.

Here is the first recipe for Gingerama. These mushrooms are a great side dish, or combine with soba or udon noodles and vegetables to create a main dish. Enjoy Ginger Recipe #1.

1 lb whole mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, finely grated
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp sesame seeds
green onions, optional

Rinse mushrooms under lukewarm water. Remove stems and cut into quarters.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add ginger, mix well, and then add mushrooms. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown.

Add teriyaki sauce and honey. Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until mushrooms are fully cooked. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss to coat. Cook for an additional minute to toast seeds and remove from heat. Top with sliced green onions as desired. Serve with hot cooked rice.

Welcome to Gingerama! This is my month-long venture into cooking with ginger. For the month of February, I will make 30 recipes with ginger. Here are the guidelines:

Recipes must contain some form of ginger, such as fresh, ground, crystallized or candied…and any other form of ginger I’ve misses.

Ginger does not need to be the primary/main ingredient, just part of the recipe.

These dishes can be main dishes, side dishes, desserts, beverages…anything that requires a recipe.

Because February has 28 days, some days may have more than 1 posting. Some days might have no postings while some might have 2 or 3.

Old recipes may be updated to include ginger.

The results do not have to good…or bad. The idea is to try new things, and not everything will turn out perfectly. Hopefully most of it will be edible.

Other recipes will be posted as well. I will continue to make new dishes without ginger as long as I’m keeping up with my goal.

All ginger recipes will be tagged “gingerama” as well as any other applicable tags.

Enjoy!